Truth Out Of Darkness
by lowdergirl
Summary: Broe. Brady helps Chloe confront her past. Finished!
1. Prologue

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Prologue  
  
This story takes begins after Lexie's party at the Dimera mansion. In this universe, Rolf's memory thingy broke at the last second so Hope didn't regain her memories as Princess Gina. She didn't kiss John, and everyone didn't find out about J.T's parentage or the baby switch. 'Cause I am soooo not gonna touch that mess.  
  
Instead, everything else happened the same up until Belle and Shawn got trapped in the catacombs beneath the mansion. Brady and Chloe found John and told him what happened. "Kids." He chuckled to himself with a small grin. Shaking his head, he said, "Lead the way."  
  
They made their way downstairs and Brady showed John the secret door. They tried the button a few more times with no success. Then John remembered an override switch hidden in a separate compartment. The door sprang open to reveal Belle and Shawn in a lip lock, oblivious to their audience.  
  
"AHEM!" said a deep male voice.  
  
Belle and Shawn jumped away from each other, while Belle turned three shades of beet red.  
  
"Oh… uh hi Dad. Shawn was just uh… comforting me, you know, from my claustrophobia."  
  
"Right." He said with a small laugh. "Come on, we'd better get back upstairs before anyone begins to miss us. Oh, and for future reference, don't ever do this again. Never forget that this is Stefano Dimera's house. You never know what could be down here."  
  
They subtly rejoined the party upstairs and the evening concluded uneventfully. 


	2. Chapter One

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Later that night…  
  
Chloe sat down in front of her dresser and brushed her long, chestnut brown hair in front of the mirror. She had a dreamy faraway look on her face, remembering her "date" with Brady last Saturday night. The movie was late starting which gave them the chance to talk and get close.  
  
I really enjoy being with Brady. She blushed slightly when she remembered hugging him. I can't believe I did that! She groaned in mock horror. Still, Brady didn't seem to mind. She remembered being acutely aware of him; his strong arms wrapped around her, his warmth, Oh G*d, just the smell of him. Chloe's cheeks blazed even hotter. Chloe what are you thinking about? Brady is just a friend. And that's all! She told herself sternly, as if saying it would make it true. He's just a good friend who's always been there for me.  
  
Suddenly, against her will, her mind flashed forward to later that evening, when events had taken a dramatic turn. Due to a tragic misunderstanding, Chloe had been stranded at the theater, alone. She had decided to walk to Brady's, but was attacked on the way by two men with dark intentions. Chloe relived it again, like she has done so many times since that night. She felt the rising panic, the overwhelming despair as she tried to fight. But they were too strong, their hands everywhere.  
  
What had frightened her the most was the familiarity of the emotions, like she had experienced them before, like she knew how this would end. But just as she was going to give in to the hopelessness, Brady came to the rescue, and saved her, risking his own life in the process.  
  
Chloe glanced at the clock. She looked back at her reflection in the mirror. Familiar emotions. She had felt that way before because it had happened before. Had it? A half-remembered glimpse of her past disappeared like the white rabbit down the tunnels of her memory. She decided to follow it down the dark, twisting paths of her mind. Suddenly, a door appeared before her. She went to open it.  
  
"Chloe, it is past your bedtime!" a loud voice broke the spell.  
  
"Yes, Nancy. I'm going right now." She glanced at the clock and froze. Somehow, she had lost 20 minutes. 20 minutes that she had no recollection of. She looked down at her hands. Her knuckles were white where they had clutched her hairbrush.  
  
Had she blacked out? What had happened to her? Why doesn't she remember it?  
  
She went to bed and soon fell asleep. Her dreams were not pleasant. 


	3. Chapter Two

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Not faraway, however, someone else is having a very nice dream.  
  
His dream plays like a scene from a movie. Two people are slow dancing to the strains of "Unchained Melody" surrounded by other couples. They are lost in a sea of moving bodies but they might as well be alone. A tall willowy brunette is dancing close with an even taller man.  
  
Even the smallest detail stands out in this dream of memory. Chloe's long, thick lustrous hair is pulled up and held with many bejeweled barrettes that sparkle like brilliant diamonds. She is wearing a simple, yet elegant black gown that flows over her shapely figure. The spaghetti straps show off her soft shoulders and long neck.  
  
Yet more important than how she looks is how she feels to Brady, dancing so close to him, wrapped in his arms with her head on his chest. He feels drawn to her as he lowers his head to smell her hair. As always, she smells of exotic flowers. He finds himself caressing her hair with his lips.  
  
His dream fast-forwards to another moment later that night. In a dark cellar of the Dimera mansion, they play their favorite game and banter playful insults back and forth. When suddenly, he's touching her, his hands cupping her long neck. He steps behind her, his arms around her waist, moving his hands to her hips, their faces so close. What was that in her eyes? Did he imagine that flash of desire? Now he has his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close, his head on her chest. Her heartbeats thunder in his ear, erratic, chaotic, like the jumble of thoughts and emotions he's experiencing. Too soon though, she pulls away, the moment ends.  
  
The dream continues with a dizzying swirl of images. Snow fights in the park, a pier at night, a magical gazebo. And always she is there, smiling, blue eyes shining. He reaches out for her….  
  
And bolts upright in bed. A moment goes by, the dream image still echoing in his mind, that last vision of Chloe before him, arms open.  
  
Whoa, Brady. Get a grip man. He still sees her and sighs, What am I going to do? 


	4. Chapter Three

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Brady stared at the alarm clock for the thousandth time. I might as well get up now. It was 6:00. After catching a quick shower, he threw on the first pair of jeans and sweater he could find that didn't smell. He then made his way downstairs. Upon entering the kitchen, he stopped dead at the sight of his sister Belle eating breakfast.  
  
"What are you doing up this early? It's like 6 o'clock."  
  
"Yeah, I know." She replied. "I always get up this early."  
  
"Belle, you don't have to be a t school for another 2 hours. That's like an hour and 45 minutes hardcore sleep time."  
  
Belle laughed. "Well, unlike you Brady, I can't get up, take a shower, get dressed and get to school in 15 minutes, let alone do my makeup and hair. Besides, I get up early so I have time to relax and enjoy my morning. It gets me in the right frame of mind. Hey, it's not easy being this perky." She joked.  
  
"Yeah, well the only time I see this side of sunrise is when I've just spent the entire night party… I mean studying."  
  
"Yeah right… so what are you doing up?" Belle asked.  
  
He plopped down in a chair in front of her. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Kept tossing and turning, finally decided to get up." His eyes lost focus while he remembered his dream from last night.  
  
"Bad dream?" Belle asked, full of concern for her big brother.  
  
"Oh no, quite the opposite. It was a very nice dream." He answered with a silly, lopsided grin.  
  
"OOOH, one of those dreams." She teased.  
  
"Isabella Black, would you kindly remove your mind from the gutter? Anyway, it wasn't like that. It was just…weird."  
  
"So, it was a nice, weird dream. Who was it about?" she asked, grinning, like she didn't already know.  
  
"I am not even going to answer that."  
  
"You know, I can't believe Phillip last night. Crashing the party. He really hurt Chloe." Bell said to change the subject.  
  
"Yeah, Chloe's been through a rough couple of days." Brady replied thoughtfully, remembering her attack Saturday night. His blood still ran could every time he thought of her in the clutches of those two bastards. He had actually thanked God that he had been driving by at that time. He couldn't even imagine what might have happened if he hadn't been there. Brady then noticed that Belle's face had grown troubled.  
  
"Tink, what's wrong?"  
  
"It's just…I still feel so bad about what happened on your date. If I hadn't jumped to major wrong conclusions and told you that Chloe had left with Phillip, then you wouldn't have left her behind and she wouldn't have been attacked. She was almost seriously hurt, and it's because of me."  
  
"Belle," Brady began, wanting to comfort his sister.  
  
"The worst part is that I ran into her afterwards outside the theater. I knew you had left and that she didn't have a ride, but I was so angry with her that I didn't even let her explain her side. She's told me over and over that she forgives me, but I still feel bad." Belle drooped her shoulders.  
  
"Hey, I'm just as much to blame. I was the one who left her there, alone. I should have known that Chloe would never have run out on me without talking to me first, even if it was with Phillip. What we have to do now is push our own guilts aside and focus on Chloe. I'm really worried about her, Belle."  
  
"Me too. She told me that she can't stop thinking about the attack." Belle said, concerned.  
  
"She's mentioned it a few times to me, too. It's to be expected. She's suffered a major shock."  
  
"What would Mom call it? Posttraumatic stress? Do you think that's what it is?" Belle asked.  
  
"Maybe. In any case, we have to give her a few days to get over it. And that, my dear sister, is where you come in. As her best friend, it is your job to keep her busy with talk of boys, shopping and makeup." He teased.  
  
"Oh, that's all you think we do? HMPH! You're so far off course, you're not even on the map." She countered upon leaving the room.  
  
Meanwhile, Brady thought, I'll just have to find my own way of helping Chloe. 


	5. Chapter Four

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Geez Chloe, you look like sh*t!"  
  
"Thanks Belle, I love you too." Chloe replied.  
  
Belle laughed. "No, seriously, you look pretty rough. Are you okay?" she asked, concern showing on her face. Chloe's face was pale and her eyes were red and tired. She was simply dressed with her hair in a loose ponytail.  
  
"I had a rough night. Dreams, one after the other." Chloe responded in a monotone. It seemed that she was having a hard time concentrating, that her mind was elsewhere.  
  
"Oh, were they nice, weird dreams?" Belle asked, a huge grin plastered on her face.  
  
Chloe just looked at Belle. "No, they were just ordinary bad dreams." She looked at Belle's face. "Am I missing something?"  
  
"Inside joke….What were the dreams about?" Belle asked, once again all seriousness. She was afraid to hear the answer.  
  
"I don't know. I can't remember. To top it all off, I had a weird episode last night right before bed." Chloe shivered in spite of herself, remembering.  
  
"What kind of episode?" Belle asked. She was really worried now.  
  
"Well, I was brushing my hair last night in front of my mirror. I was thinking about…things, and I don't know if I blacked out or what, but suddenly 20 minutes had passed. I have no memory of what I did or anything. And it just felt like a couple of seconds. I looked at the clock and it was 12:00 and I was brushing my hair, then suddenly, it's 12:20 and Nancy's yelling at me to get to bed." Chloe inhaled deeply and let it out.  
  
"What do you think happened?"  
  
"I don't know….Maybe I just fell asleep standing up. I was worn out from the party and all the drama there." Chloe said, trying to pretend that she was fine. she didn't like for Belle to worry, and she didn't really want to talk about it.  
  
"Speaking of last night, how are you feeling? About Phillip, I mean." Belle asked, willing to change the subject for Chloe's sake. She knew Chloe would have no problem talking about Phillip and it would get her mind off her episode.  
  
"I don't know. I still can't believe he did that to me. He's getting scary. I mean, you saw him last night. He looked insane! I just don't know what I'm going to do. I know I should let him go – break it off for good. But I don't know that I can. (sighs) It's obvious things between us can't continue as they have been. Anyway, I'm tired of talking about me. I want to hear about you and Shawn!" Chloe said with a cheerfulness she didn't feel.  
  
"AAAAH! My favorite subject!" Belle squealed, taking Chloe's hand and leading her down the hall. She talked non-stop all the way to first period.  
  
Okay, Chloe, I'll let you drop the subject today, but soon you have to resolve things with Phillip one way or the other. 


	6. Chapter Five

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Please Chloe, you gotta talk to me." Phillip Kiriakis pleaded, oblivious to the attention he was drawing. He was only aware of the beautiful brunette in front of him and the look in her cool blue eyes. Her body language said it all: arms crossed, jaw set, eyes cold. It was a look Phillip had become all too familiar with of late. And he was at a loss to know how to change it.  
  
"I am so sorry about last night at the party. I just had to see you. I have to win you back. You're my girlfriend, Chloe!" his intense blue eyes gazed at her, begging.  
  
"I am not your girlfriend, Phillip. And we both know why." She retorted hotly.  
  
"I know, I know. I'm sorry." He ran his fingers through his blond hair.  
  
"You're always sorry, but it doesn't change anything because you turn around and do it again. Like last night. You broke into an exclusive party at the Dimera mansion and humiliated me in front of all those people. That's what you're best at – humiliating me! First, at the Last Blast, you accused me of selling my body on the Internet and called me all those horrible names. Then last Saturday night, you picked a fight with me and insulted me. Then you hurt me further by going back to Cynthia's house, where you made out with her! And then, last night at the party. You say you're sorry, you say you love me. Then why are you doing this to me?" Chloe passionately questioned.  
  
Suddenly, in answer to her question, a scene replayed in her mind. A scene from last night. Chloe had asked the same question when Phillip had disrupted the party by breaking in and setting off the security alarms. Brady had replied, "Because you won't let him go. He's still tied to you and he's going to continue until you cut him loose."  
  
Chloe looked at the boy in front of her with new eyes. She looked in his eyes and saw equal parts love, anger, jealousy, and … was that obsession? She remembered that the same look was in his eyes last night as he struggled with the guards and bellowed her name like a raging, wounded beast.  
  
"Chloe!" he had yelled over and over while he fought with the guards. He had looked insane, like he had lost any self-control that he once had. She had remarked before that the intensity of his love, his passion had frightened her. Now she wondered is this love, or something else? Chloe then realized that Phillip had continued with his impassioned speech.  
  
"Phillip, I….I gotta go." Chloe said and then practically fled down the hall.  
  
Phillip watched her leave, a strange expression on his face. 


	7. Chapter Six

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
"So, did you talk to Phillip?" Brady asked.  
  
"Yes and no. Yes, we talked but it was nothing new. Phillip's very sorry, he wants me back, blah blah blah." Chloe rolled her eyes. They were in the Black penthouse. Marlena and John were at work and Belle was at Shawn's house studying (well, making out.) Chloe had called Brady wanting to talk, so he invited her over.  
  
"Chloe, what are you doing?" he sighed in exasperation. They always seemed to be having this conversation, but to no avail. Chloe wouldn't do anything about Phillip, and Brady couldn't, wouldn't reveal his feelings for her until she did. "I just don't know why you can't let him go. He isn't right for you. You're not right for him."  
  
"It's not like we're still together. We did break up."  
  
"You didn't break up. You just stopped seeing him."  
  
"There's a difference?"  
  
"Yes, there was no end to the relationship, no resolution. It just stopped. Phillip still thinks he has a chance with you. And it's obvious to me that he still has a hold on you. You're both caught in some kind of relationship limbo, not knowing where you stand."  
  
Chloe turned away from him. She crossed her arms and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm just so confused. I don't know how I feel about Phillip,…or anything."  
  
Brady pulled her around to face him, and brought her face down to his. "Look at me Chloe. It's really very simple. Do you love him?" he asked gently.  
  
"I…I don't know." she stammered, avoiding his gaze.  
  
"Look at me. Do you love him?"  
  
She looked in his eyes, and saw her reflection. She saw in his soul a mirror of her own.  
  
"No," she said softly. "No, I don't love him." 


	8. Chapter Seven

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"No, I don't love him."  
  
"Then why do you want to be with him?" Brady asked gently.  
  
"Because he loves me! He adores me. And you know what? That's a nice feeling!" she cried passionately. "Do you know what it's like, Brady, to go years without anyone ever telling you that they loved you? That was my life before I came here. And then suddenly there's Phillip who's sweet, and sensitive, and he loves me! And you want me to throw all that away. For what?! So I can be alone again?!" she cried. Hot tears ran down her cheeks and her lips trembled.  
  
"Chloe," he began, suddenly moved with compassion for her. He wanted to reach out and take her pain away.  
  
She wiped her cheeks and looked at Brady. "I didn't used to be so soft. But that's the price you pay when you let people in – let them get close. I mean, I've endured things in 5 years that most people won't go through in a lifetime. Back then; love was the least of my worries. But now…(she began, choking back sobs) now the thought of not having love in my life terrifies me. I can't go through that again. I don't want to be alone." Chloe covered her face with her hands and cried silently, her shoulders shaking.  
  
"Hey, come here." Brady wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her close, so her head was on his chest. He just held her while she sobbed. He murmured soothing words to her and stroked her hair. He had just learned the real reason why she couldn't let Phillip go. Her long past of pain and abandonment had scarred her deeply, causing her to run into the arms of the first man who said he loved her.  
  
I could tell her, Brady thought. I could tell her my feelings. No, I want her to be with me because she loves me. She has to get over Phillip on her own, before I say anything.  
  
"Listen to me Chloe," he said softly while rocking her gently. "No matter what happens with Phillip, or what happens in life, know that you will never be alone. I will always be here for you. I promise."  
  
Her crying began to quiet down and still he held her. She had never released her emotions before like this and she felt drained. She was so tired; she just let Brady take care of her. It felt so good to be in his arms. She felt a security she had never known before. Her mind was opened to a simple truth. Brady would never hurt her. Phillip always has.  
  
Snippets of previous conversations replayed in her mind. Advice from her mother, harsh truths from Brady. She felt the calm after her violent storm of emotions. She pulled away from Brady and looked deep in his eyes at the tenderness, concern, and warmth reflected there. So different from Phillip's eyes. She finally accepted what she had to do. I'm letting you go, Phillip. And with that silent declaration, a huge weight fell from her shoulders, one she hadn't realized she carried.  
  
"Okay, Brady. Tomorrow after school, I'm going to end things with Phillip." She said earnestly.  
  
"Listen, Chloe. I didn't mean to upset you. If you love Phillip, then I understand. I just want you to be happy." He looked directly into her blue eyes.  
  
She gave him a small smile. "We've already established that I don't love Phillip, and I haven't been happy, with him anyway, for a long time. It's the right thing to do, and I feel good about it." She gave him a quick hug. "I didn't get much sleep last night and all this drama has worn me out. I'm gonna go home and crash – and plan what I'm going to say to Phillip."  
  
"Just tell him the truth. He probably already knows." He flashed a brilliant smile and closed the door behind her. He walked back into the living room. He closed his eyes and remembered how good it felt to hold her in his arms.  
  
Soon, Chloe, you will be free. And I will show you what true love is. 


	9. Chapter Eight

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The following day after school.  
  
"Phillip, do you have a minute?" Chloe caught his attention as he walked down the hall.  
  
"Yes." He said, surprised that she was even giving him the time of day.  
  
"Can we talk?"  
  
"Sure, let's go into this classroom. It's empty."  
  
There were a few moments of awkward silence while Chloe thought of what she was going to say. She then spoke slowly. "First of all, I wanted to say that I forgive you."  
  
"You forgive me?" he asked slowly.  
  
"Yes, for everything. The Last Blast, and everything up until now. I forgive you. It's okay." She said, smiling at Phillip.  
  
Phillip looked at her beautiful smile and for once in a long time felt hopeful. Could she be coming around?  
  
"Also, I wanted to apologize. I had no right to get upset with you for going out with Cynthia, especially since we had broken up and I kept rejecting you. I'm sorry." She paused shortly. "The main thing I wanted to talk about though, is us." She inhaled deeply. "Things can't go on as they have been."  
  
Yes! Phillip thought mentally. He felt like doing cartwheels. "Chloe, I'm so happy! I've missed you so much. I had almost given up hope. This is so great! You know there's this new action flick opening this weekend. We could go Saturday night, maybe Tuscany afterwards."  
  
Chloe interrupted, confused. "I think you misunderstood me. It's my fault. I've led you on – let you believe that we could get back together. But we can't."  
  
Phillip's heart fell.  
  
"I'm sorry Phillip. Things can't be the way they were. Too much has happened." She felt so sorry for him, for the renewed pain in his eyes. She thought about changing her mind – but realized she had to do this.  
  
"I know they can't be the same, they'll be better. I can make it work. I love you." He pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry, Phillip. But I don't love you." She said simply. She felt enormous pain in her heart at hurting him so. But it will be worse for him in the long run if I don't let him go now. I can't keep lying.  
  
"I could make you fall in love with me. I'll win you back." Phillip couldn't believe that it was really over. That he had no chance.  
  
"I no longer want you to. I'm setting you free, Phillip. It's time we both moved on." She said gently.  
  
"But…" Phillip had never felt such despair, such utter hopelessness. His love was leaving him.  
  
"Goodbye. Phillip." She turned and walked away.  
  
Phillip felt numb as he watched her walk away. He had lost her for good.  
  
  
  
Later that afternoon…  
  
"Well, I did it." Chloe said into her phone. She was lying on her bed.  
  
"How do you feel?" Brady asked. Chloe could hear the concern in his voice.  
  
"Better than I thought I would. I hated hurting Phillip, but I know I did the right thing….The strange thing is he no longer any pull on my heart. I think about him, and I care about him, but just as a friend."  
  
"I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you say that. Listen, I am taking you out tonight to celebrate your new freedom. I will pick you up at 7." Brady said. "Oh, and wear something nice." He said mischievously.  
  
Chloe hung up the phone still trying to fathom what had just happened. "Oh! It's 5:30. I've got to get ready!" 


	10. Chapter Nine

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 9  
  
He stood in front of his full length mirror and inspected himself one last time. "Brady Black, you are one handsome devil." He smiled wickedly. He had paired dark grey slacks and jacket with a silvery grey dress shirt. {Wow, I haven't been this excited in a long time. I can finally tell her how I feel.}  
  
He practically danced down the stairs to the delight of Belle, who was sitting on the living room sofa with their father.  
  
"Where are you going, so dressed up?" she teased.  
  
He answered with mock superiority, "I, little sister, have a date."  
  
Her eyes widened and her voice shot up several octaves. "A date?!" she squealed. "With who?"  
  
"Whom," he corrected, winking at John. "How long have you been speaking English?"  
  
"Oh, shut up! Just tell me who you are going out with!" she demanded.  
  
"Well, I can't tell you and shut up at the same time, can I ?" he asked innocently. He enjoyed giving his sister a hard time.  
  
Belle jumped up and down. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!" she screamed.  
  
John suppressed a small smile and Brady laughed at the sight of his sister. "Well, if you must know, I am taking Chloe out tonight."  
  
"Yes!" she screamed. She looked at Brady. "This is a date-date right? You're not just 'hanging out'?"  
  
Brady grinned. "It's a date, Belle. Chloe just doesn't know it yet."  
  
"Where are you taking her, son?" John asked. He had known Brady had feelings for Chloe and wondered when he would admit it.  
  
"Well, the Salem University Symphony is performing selections of Beethoven's works tonight. He is one of Chloe's favorite composers."  
  
"OOOOOH" Belle and John chimed in unison.  
  
"And then I thought dinner and dancing at Tuscany to round out the evening."  
  
"AAAAAH"  
  
Brady ignored his family and continued. "That will pobably be it . It is a school night and Mrs. Wesley can be a bear." He laughed, blue eyes twinkling.  
  
"So, what's with the sudden change?" Belle asked. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I think this is the coolest thing ever, but I thought you two were 'just friends'?"  
  
Brady looked at her and sighed. "You're gonna make me say it, aren't you?"  
  
"Say what, big brother?" Belle asked with an expression of feigned innocence.  
  
"Okay, okay. You were right. You both were right. I like Chloe okay? The real question is: how does she feel about me?"  
  
"Oh, I don't think that's gonna be a problem." Belle said with a grin. She knew her best friend very well.  
  
"Well, that is what tonight is about. Anyway, I've got to go, or I will be late. I will see you two later."  
  
"I want a full report!" Belle yelled after him.  
  
As the doors closed on the elevator, he thought, {Tonight is going to be a night we won't forget. I can feel it.}  
  
  
  
Please, please,please R&R! Please! 


	11. Chapter Ten

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Chloe was just putting the finishing touches on her hair, when the phone rang. {Maybe it's Brady.}, she thought and went to answer it.  
  
"Hello" she said.  
  
"…….."  
  
"Hellooooo" she repeated.  
  
"………."  
  
"Okay, hanging up now" she said with attitude. She had no patience for pranks.  
  
"Hello, Chloe." A muffled male voice spoke softly. The voice was obviously disguised but somehow seemed familiar to her. She hazarded a guess.  
  
"Brady, is that you?" she asked impatiently.  
  
"Who is Brady? Is he your boyfriend?" the voice asked.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "All right, now I liked Scream as much as the next girl, but I don't have time for this. Goodbye."  
  
"I've missed you, Chloe. You will be mine again."  
  
"Goodbye!" She hung up the phone.  
  
That had to be Brady. But she knew it wasn't. There was only one possible person it could be. Oh well, I'll just deal with him later.  
  
  
  
Brady stood nervously on the Wesleys' porch and rang the doorbell. A smiling Craig answered the door. "Come in Brady, Chloe will be down in a minute."  
  
"Thanks, Dr. Wesley."  
  
"Oh, Brady, you look so handsome!" Nancy beamed. She had been so happy when Chloe told her she was over Phillip, and now she's going out with Brady!  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Wesley" he replied sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, call me Nancy, Brady."  
  
He was going to respond but the words caught in his throat. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach and his legs suddenly felt weak. Nancy and Craig observed his reaction as Chloe descended the stairs.  
  
Her hair was pulled up with a few escaping ringlets framing her face. She was wearing a long, warm grey gown made of soft velvet, with a black lace shawl around her shoulders. She stopped in front of him and noticed his matching grey attire. "Wow, we go well together!"  
  
"Yes, we do" he replied. "Shall we go?" 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Chloe sighed contentedly. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. She snuggled closer to Brady and put her head on his chest. She was wrapped in his arms and they were dancing slowly together in Tuscany's ballroom.  
  
She replayed the evening's events in her mind. She had been knocked breathless at the sight of Brady when he picked her up. He was beautiful, so attractive to her, she wondered if she would ever breathe again.  
  
They had gone to a symphony concert highlighting music of Beethoven. The melodious strains had filled Chloe with radiant joy, visions of her happy childhood danced in her mind. Brady from time to time, gazed at her to see her reaction to the music. She looked at him, smiling, tears in her eyes, grateful for this beautiful gift.  
  
Afterwards, they came here to Tuscany. While waiting for their entrees to arrive, Brady asked her to dance. All night long, Brady amazed her with his behavior. He was the perfect gentleman; opening doors for her, pulling her chair out for her. His usual jests and mocking attitude were gone; instead he treated her like something precious, beloved.  
  
Chloe was very confused. She had just sorted out her feelings for Phillip; now she wondered if she was beginning to care for Brady. She wondered why Brady was behaving this way. Surely, he only thought of her as a friend.  
  
She looked up into his face, his eyes for clarification. Instead, she was only more amazed ot see tenderness and warmth reflected in the blue depths. She couldn't tear her gaze away from his eyes. She began to drown in his eyes, in the depth of emotions displayed there.  
  
Brady was drawn to her. He saw the wonder on her face as she stared into his eyes. He slowly lowered his head until their lips were just inches apart.  
  
Chloe reflexively lifted up her head to meet his kiss. Part of her wanted to kiss him. The other part panicked; suddenly she felt suffocated; it was so hard to breathe. She needed to stop this – clear her head.  
  
"Brady," she said, pulling back. "I, I have to go to the restroom." She turned and walked away.  
  
Good going, Brady. You spooked her by going too fast, too soon. He sighed and went back to their table.  
  
  
  
He watched Chloe break out of Brady's embrace and walk across the ballroom. Now's my chance, he thought and silently followed her. 


	13. Chapter Twelve

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Brady was deep in thought, wondering how to salvage the evening, when a man approached him.  
  
"Well, you appear to have lost your date."  
  
Brady looked up. "Hello, Grandfather."  
  
Victor asked, "May I sit down?"  
  
Brady motioned to Chloe's now vacant seat. He had noticed earlier that Phillip and Victor were seated at a table in the corner. He didn't mention it to Chloe for fear of making her uncomfortable. Her back had been to them, so she had not noticed their presence. Phillip had glared daggers at them the entire evening.  
  
Victor looked at Brady. "I noticed what occurred on the dance floor just now, and I must say Chloe certainly moves fast. She only just this afternoon broke Phillip's heart, and now she is out with you."  
  
Brady swallowed his anger. This was, after all, his grandfather, the only connection he had to his mother, Isabella, who died shortly after Brady was born. "Actually, it's the other way around. I invited Chloe out this evening."  
  
Victor's gaze hardened. "I will only say this once. I do not want you seeing that…. Girl. If you insist on defying me, you will regret it."  
  
Brady snorted. "Save your threats for someone who's impressed by them, like Phillip. He's a child, he has to do what you say. I am a grown man. I will do as I please."  
  
Victor sighed. It was as he had expected. Brady was so damn stubborn. It was actually a trait Victor secretly admired in his grandson. It reminded him of his precious Isabella. "Well, I warned you. So, how are things moving at Basic Black?" he asked to be polite, and also to gain some information on his rival company.  
  
They made small talk for a few minutes, until Brady realized that Chloe had been gone for some time. He glanced over at Victor's table and noted that Phillip was gone. An alarm went off in the back of his head. Without a word to Victor, he got up and headed toward the restrooms. He had the growing feeling that Chloe was in danger. He rounded the last corner and froze. 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Chloe, what the hell is wrong with you?, she asked herself. Running away from Brady like that. She closed her eyes and remembered how close they were, how close they had come to kissing. It had felt so nice. But once again, unwanted memories had risen up to haunt her. Will I never get over this?  
  
She calmed down. I better get back to Brady; I don't want to hurt him. I need to find out what he's feeling. Maybe I just misread him.  
  
She turned to go and took one last glimpse in the mirror to check her face. She looked in her eyes and stopped. She felt like she was on the verge of remembering something crucial. Something about the attack and almost kissing Brady. So familiar…rising panic…crushing despair…hopelessness  
  
Can't get away he's always there  
  
Who's always there? She asked herself  
  
Once again she stood before a door. She could barely hear voices on the other side…someone is crying softly. She turned the knob…  
  
And was jolted out of her vision when a woman entered the restroom. Chloe stood there, trying to calm down, control her breathing. She looked at her watch and felt ice run through her veins. Once again, she had lost time. Ten minutes. She racked her memory fro some kind of clue, but to no avail. She wrapped her arms around her chest and stood shaking. Not again, this can't be happening again!  
  
Brady! He's probably worried sick. She pulled her self together and left the restroom.  
  
"Didn't take you very long, did it?" a harsh male voice said behind her. 


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Chloe nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to see who it was.  
  
"Phillip!" she cried, breathing a sigh of relief. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I could ask you the same question, but the answer is so obvious. You couldn't wait to break my heart so you could move on to Brady, could you?!" he demanded. Phillip had been watching Brady and Chloe all evening long. Victor had brought him here to cheer him up. Then suddenly they arrive, looking so in love it physically hurt him. He watched the way they looked at each other, the way they talked. He noticed everytime Brady touched Chloe, saw how his hand was on the small of her back when they danced.  
  
Phillip had felt like he was dying before, now he felt insane. Watching Brady put the moves on his girlfriend, watching Chloe respond to his advances. The overwhelming lust, desire in their eyes as they almost kiss. His sadness turned to rage realizing that they must have been dating for quite a while to invoke that kind of response in each other. How dare she?! So when Chloe left Brady on the dance floor, he decided to follow, not knowing what he would do or say.  
  
Chloe was taken aback. "Phillip, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't play games with me, Chloe!" He moved even closer to her , his usually beautiful face twisted in a menacing sneer. "I knew it! You and Brady have been seeing each other behind my back all along!"  
  
Chloe felt her temper rise. "Behind your back?! Phillip, we've been broken up for months now. You've even been out with another girl! How is this behind your back? Anyway, Brady and I are just friends. You know what? Scratch that. I don't need to justify my relationship with Brady to you."  
  
"So you admit the two of you have a relationship. For how long?!" he demanded, an insane look in his eyes. He edged closer to Chloe, and she began to be afraid of him.  
  
He's like he was the night of the party. She tried a few times to move around him, but he had her cornered. They were in a secluded area of the restaurant, and no one else was around.  
  
"For how long!" he repeated. "How long have the two of you been playing me for a fool? Oh, how the two of you must have laughed to see the great Phillip Kiriakis follow you around like a love starved puppy. Did it start this summer, while I was away fighting for my life?!"  
  
"Phillip, I refuse to talk to you about this. I've said all I'm going to say. If you continue like this, then we won't even be able to be friends!" she cried earnestly.  
  
"Friends?!" he cried sarcastically. "Yes, let's be friends! After all, you and Brady are just friends and look at the two of you. You could barely control yourselves just now." He laughed harshly. "All along, I've been trying to be your boyfriend when all it takes to get inside your pants is friendship!"  
  
Phillip's words were a dagger to Chloe's heart. She caught her breath, it was an ordeal just to breathe. Phillip felt a white hot rage build up inside him just at the thought of Brady and Chloe touching, kissing, making love. Something he and Chloe had never done. Emotions rocked through him. Betrayal. Rejection. The rage was so strong, his vision blurred. Adrenaline surged through his body. How dare Chloe do this to me! She's mine!  
  
Chloe was genuinely frightened now. {I have to get away from him!} She stepped around him and said quickly, "I have to go. Brady's waiting for me."  
  
The mention of Brady's name lit the fuse of Phillip's anger. His eyes clouded over. He exploded in fury.  
  
Suddenly, his mind cleared. He was sane again, calm like the ocean after a violent tidal wave. He looked down in surprise to see Chloe at his feet. She was unconscious and her head was bleeding. There was a nasty welt on her jaw.  
  
He stood there frozen in shock. An eternity passed while he tried to fathom what had happened. "Chloe, my sweet Chloe. What did I do to you?" he cried out.  
  
He barely heard through his numbed senses a bellowing cry of rage. "BASTARD!" He turned in slow motion to see Brady bearing down on him. He didn't even move out of the way as Brady knocked him down. Phillip fell into merciful darkness. 


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Brady rounded the next corner and froze. Across the room he could see Phillip arguing with Chloe. He had her backed into a corner and he seemed furious. Brady saw Chloe try to get around him but Phillip blocked her. Brady couldn't hear what Phillip was saying, but he could see that Chloe was terrified.  
  
Brady began walking toward them. He hadn't taken 5 steps when the unthinkable happened. Brady watched as Chloe turned to go past Phillip. She said something and Phillip's fury erupted. He yelled at her, "You filthy, lying whore!"  
  
Time slowed for Brady. Phillip struck Chloe full force with the back of his fist. The blow caught her across the left side of her face near her mouth. Brady heard a sickening pop as her jaw broke. She fell backwards and hit her head on the brick wall behind her. The crack of impact reverberated around the room. She slowly slid to the floor, unconscious.  
  
Brady was rooted to the floor, overcome with shock and horror. But the shock soon gave way to anger and concern for Chloe. He charged at Phillip, yelling, "BASTARD!" He knocked him out with one blow. He then turned and knelt beside her.  
  
Blood was trickling out of her mouth and the back of her head was matted and sticky with the dark red fluid. He gathered her head and chest up in his arms while he felt for a pulse. Her heartbeat was weak and irregular.  
  
"Come on Chloe. Wake up for me, please? Wakeup?" he pleaded. Brady had never felt so helpless. He tried to fight the swelling panic. "Come on, Chloe. Don't leave me. Come back, okay?"  
  
He was vaguely aware of people behind him. Victor was trying to rouse Phillip and Maggie Horton was beside Brady.  
  
"Oh, Brady, what happened?" she asked, full of concern.  
  
"I, she... she hit her head on the wall." Brady could barely make sense of what had happened, let alone talk about it.  
  
Maggie left and Brady continued to try to wake Chloe. He checked for any other injuries but didn't find any. Maggie returned with damp towels and a first aid kit. Brady applied pressure with the towels to the back of her head to stop the bleeding. They wrapped the towels tightly around her head and fastened them.  
  
"I called 911." Maggie said. "Unfortunately, a train derailed outside of town and every available ambulance is dealing with the injured passengers. The operator said it would be faster to take her to the hospital yourself."  
  
Chloe fluttered open her eyes.  
  
"Chloe! Thank God! Chloe, are you okay?" Brady asked, relieved that she had come to.  
  
She tried to speak, but instead spit up blood. There was excrutiating pain from her jaw, and her head felt like it would explode.  
  
"Don't try to talk. Chloe, we have to get you to the hospital. Try to stand, okay?"  
  
Brady helped a shaky Chloe to her feet. She immediately felt dizzy and collapsed in Brady's arms. Her head was spinning and bright lights flashed before her eyes. She was disoriented and confused. She couldn't think clearly at all.  
  
Brady was very worried that she may have suffered a major head injury. Chloe had no strength and simply clung onto him. Brady lifted her up in his arms and headed toward the exit.  
  
Maggie called after him, "I'll call Craig and let him know you're on your way!"  
  
Brady got Chloe settled in his jeep and sped off toward the hospital as fast as he could. He kept looking over at her. She faded in and out of consciousness.  
  
"Hang on, Chloe. We'll be there soon. Everything will be okay." He said soothingly.  
  
Chloe, you have to be okay. I can't lose you now that I've found you. 


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 16  
  
"I wonder how their date is going." Belle said.  
  
"I still can't believe Brady finally admitted his feelings for Chloe. He's been fighting them for a looong time." Shawn replied. They were standing on the balcony of the Black penthouse. Shawn had his arms wrapped around Belle, and they both stood looking out on the lights of the city.  
  
"They both have. It's funny, it was sooo obvious they liked each other but they were all like 'we're just friends'" laughed Belle. "Just Monday, Chloe told me that Brady was not 'dating material'. Of course, the next words out of her mouth were 'Does Brady think of me as more than just a friend?'" Belle immitated her friend precisely and laughed even harder.  
  
"Yeah, the only people they fooled were themselves." agreed Shawn. "It's amazing. They are the LAST people I'd ever imagine to wind up together. Yet from the moment they met, even when Chloe was in love with Phillip, there was a connection between her and Brady. Like, I don't know, soulmates."  
  
"That's so romantic!" exclaimed Belle. "I didn't peg you as believer in stuff like that."  
  
"Hey, my parents are living examples of two people destined for each other. They were in love from the moment they met. And nothing could separate them, not even death. They were meant to be together. It's fate." Shawn said passionately.  
  
"Do you think Brady and Chloe will be as happy as we are?" Belle asked, looking up at Shawn.  
  
"That's not possible." Shawn said with a grin, leaning down to kiss her. They were still kissing when they heard the phone ring in the living room. John went to go get it. They could hear the concern in his voice.  
  
"What! Oh Lord. Is she okay? Okay, thanks for calling me." He hung up the phone and stared intently at the floor.  
  
Belle and Shawn came in from the balcony.  
  
"What's wrong, Dad?" Belle asked, worried.  
  
John looked at Belle and replied. "That was Maggie Horton. Something happened to Chloe at Tuscany - she hit her head or something. Brady's taking her to the hospital."  
  
"Oh no! Is she okay?"  
  
"I don't know, it was pretty severe. She was unconscious for a long time according to Maggie. I think we should go to the hospital. We should be there for Brady." 


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
  
  
Chapter 17  
  
A short time later, John, Marlena, Belle and Shawn arrived at Salem University Hospital. They found Brady in the waiting room. They were immediately concerned by his appearance. He was a wreck; his jacket was gone and his shirt was untucked, the top buttons undone. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He was pacing nervously. He looked up in surprise to see his family. His usually tan face was pale and drawn, his eyes bloodshot.  
  
"How is she, son?" John asked, throwing his arms around him in a deep hug. More than anything he wanted to make things better for Brady, to take the pain away.  
  
"They're.... examining her right now." Brady melted in his father's embrace. Brady prided himself on his strength, his independance. But right now he was reminded of how much he needed his family. He broke away and looked at John and everyone.  
  
"What are you....How did you?" He found talking difficult. He couldn't focus enough to complete a sentence.  
  
"Maggie called me. She said that something serious had happened to Chloe, and that you were here."  
  
Belle gave Brady a big hug. She was so scared for her big brother. She had never seen him like this. Brady was always the strong one, her hero. Now he looked lost, alone. And it scared her.  
  
Marlena looked uncomfortable for a moment. She wanted to be there for Brady, but their relationship in the past had been very rocky. They were only now becoming close again, and she was unsure of how to approach him.  
  
"I'm going to get us some coffee." She turned and left. She spotted Nancy Wesley at the registrar station. Nancy was busy filing forms and entering insurance information on patient charts. She appeared to be running on automatic - her mind was not in her work. Marlena knew that any minute now she would completely break down.  
  
Marlena hesitated a minute before going up to her. They had once been happy coworkers, even friends. But their radioshow had driven a wedge between them. That's in the past, she decided.  
  
"Nancy, you shouldn't be working at a time like this. Get someone else to do this." She said gently.  
  
"There is no one else." Nancy replied simply. "We were short staffed to begin with. And the train wreck has us overloaded with patients. I came in to help with the paperwork so we could treat them faster.... We've called in additional staff, but they won't get here for an hour or more. Besides," Nancy gave a small smile. "It helps me to keep my mind off Chloe. Otherwise, I'd be an emotional wreck."  
  
Marlena nodded in agreement, remembering when her own daughter Belle had been in a coma just 2 years earlier. She had thought she would lose her mind with worry.  
  
"How is Craig holding up?" Marlena asked.  
  
"He's keeping busy also, treating all the new patients. Dr. Collin Murphy volunteered to examine Chloe, she's in with him now. He's running several tests - CAT scan and the like." Nancy replied, her eyes losing their focus while she thought about Chloe.  
  
Marlena reached out to take Nancy's hand. "I'm sure Chloe will be just fine. She's a very strong young woman, and Brady got her here quickly. I'm just wondering, what happened?"  
  
Nancy looked at Marlena and quietly filled her in on the events at Tuscany. Marlena couldn't believe her ears. She had always known Phillip to be a very sweet, kind young man.  
  
"Maggie had called us and let us know that Chloe was coming in. She said Chloe had a bad head injury. But nothing prepared us for the shock when we first saw her. Brady was carrying her in his arms and she kept losing consciousness. She was spitting up blood, and bleeding heavily on the back of her head. Collin immediately began to treat her. She's been there for awhile now." Nancy looked at the door of the nearby examining room worriedly.  
  
At that moment Craig came up behind her and hugged her. She put her head on his shoulder. Marlena left them alone and went to get coffee.  
  
She made her way back to Brady who was sitting with his head in his hands.  
  
"Here you go sweetie." She handed him a steaming cup.  
  
He smiled weakly at her. "Thanks, Marlena. Thanks for being here."  
  
"Don't mention it, Brady. I just wish there was something I could do." She smiled gently at him.  
  
"Son, do you think you're calm enough now to tell us what happened?" John asked.  
  
Brady's gaze hardened as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Phillip... Phillip happened." He said angrily.  
  
"Maybe you should tell us from the beginning." John prompted.  
  
Brady's eyes lost focus as he remembered the evening.  
  
"Tonight was everything I'd hoped for and more. We were dancing together, getting close." He paused, tried to focus.  
  
"Well... shortly after we were seated at Tuscany I saw Phillip and Victor at a table in the corner. Chloe never saw them. Phillip had been staring at us the entire time we were there - such hatred in his eyes, he was livid. Well, Chloe went to the ladies' room and Victor came over. We talked for a few minutes and I began to wonder what was keeping Chloe. I glanced over at their table and Phillip was gone. I walked over to the restrooms to find Chloe. It's wierd, Dad. I just kinda knew she was in trouble."  
  
Brady stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself. "In front of me, I saw that Phillip had Chloe backed into a corner. He was yelling at her, but I couldn't make out what he said. I just know that Chloe looked very frightened, she was terrified of Phillip. He was just out of control. Like the night of Lexie's party, only 10 times worse. I still can't believe he did it."  
  
He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. His face paled even more.  
  
"Did what, son?" John asked, slowly.  
  
Brady looked up at John. Angry tears were visible in his eyes as he cried out, "He HIT her, Dad! The son of a bitch hit her." He said furiously.  
  
John was stunned, while Belle and Shawn were horrified.  
  
"No," Belle breathed. It wasn't possible. Phillip was a good friend of theirs. They'd practically grown up together. How could he do this?  
  
"Chloe had moved to get around him, and he just lost it." Brady continued, clenching his fist at the memory. "He backhanded her with his fist across her jaw. I think he broke it; she's been spitting up blood. She fell backwards and hit her head on the wall behind her. She was immediately out cold." Brady's face was deathly white. "I can still hear the noise her head made when it hit that wall. Those walls are solid brick, Dad!" he exclaimed. "Who knows what kind of damage she's sustained? Her head was bleeding heavily."  
  
"It can't be." Belle cried softly, struggling to comprehend. Shawn had cradled her in his arms, lending her his strength. "Phillip loves Chloe, he would never..."  
  
"Never what? Hurt her?!" Brady sneered harshly. He softened when he saw her face. He felt bad for Belle; she was losing some of her innocence tonight. "Yeah, I used to think that too." he said softly.  
  
"What did you do then?" John asked, hoping to keep Brady's mind occupied by recalling the events.  
  
Brady shook his head. "The rest is a blur. I vaguely remember knocking Phillip off his feet. If Chloe hadn't been in such dire need of help, I wouldn't have stopped hitting him. I wanted to kill him, Dad." He added softly. "I still do."  
  
He sighed to clear his mind of the anger. "Maggie came over, we wrapped her head with towels and bandages and then I drove here. Chloe kept coming in and out. I felt so helpless. The last time I was this scared was when Belle hit her head on the train tracks and went into a coma." Brady looked down at the floor and ran his hands through his hair. John gave him another deep hug.  
  
Belle was overcome with worry for Chloe and shock at Phillip's actions. She couldn't understand how anyone could hurt someone they claim to love. Chloe, she thought, You have to be okay. You're my best friend. What will I do without you?  
  
Shawn continued to hold Belle while they waited for news on Chloe. He stroked her hair, to calm himself as much as Belle. He was shaking with rage. He wanted to pound on Phillip. Chloe's sweet, smiling face kept flashing before his eyes. He remembered how she was when she first came to town. He had been one of the first people to befriend her even though she was a social outcast. He had seen something special in her, and even had a slight crush on her once. Now, she was one of his closest friends.  
  
Brady was thinking about Chloe, remembering all their special times together. Please, God. Let her be okay. 


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 18  
  
The waiting room was quiet and thick with tension as they waited for news of Chloe. John was talking quietly with Marlena, while Shawn held Belle. Brady had distanced himself from the others and was sitting down, with his head in his hands. Craig and Nancy were close together near the examining room.  
  
Slowly the door opened and Dr. Murphy's gentle Irish\Australian accent could be heard.  
  
"Come on, Chloe. That's a good girl. One foot in front of the other." he said soothingly.  
  
Everyone came forward as Collin emerged slowly, supporting a very dizzy Chloe. Her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. Brady's jacket was draped over her shoulders. Her head was bandaged and her jaw was red and swollen. Purple spots had appeared where her tender skin had already begun to bruise.  
  
John and Marlena were shocked while Belle and Shawn felt nauseous. The realization of Chloe's injuries had finally sunk in. Phillip had done this to her.  
  
Brady sprang forward, wanting to help Chloe. As Collin and Chloe slowly made their way into the room, Collin handed her into Brady's arms. Chloe wrapped her arms around Brady and clutched him for support. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.  
  
"She's having difficulty holding her head up, and this helps to fight the dizziness." Collin explained.  
  
"I've run several tests, including a CAT scan. Chloe is suffering from a moderate concussion. This has thrown off her equilibrium, which is causing her dizziness. There is some swelling of brain tissue that I'm concerned about, but it should go down in a few days. Fortunately, I can find no evidence of skull fracture."  
  
"What about the cranial bleeding?" Craig asked.  
  
"Surface cut. One of her hair clips had broken and cut her deeply. It required several stitches, but actually looked worse than it was. She is very delirious and disoriented right now. However, her CAT scan revealed no permanent damage, so she should be fine shortly."  
  
Relief flooded the waiting room, and many let out breaths they hadn't known they were holding.  
  
Collin paused while he remembered everything he needed to say. "Her jaw has a slight fracture. Fortunately, it set back in place immediately and is already healing nicely. Due to her nausea, I cannot wire her jaw shut. If she were to become sick, she could choke. Her jaw should heal perfectly on its own as long as she refrains from excessive talking and extreme facial gestures."  
  
"So, no arias for the next few days, okay Diva?" Brady joked, smiling down at Chloe.  
  
She didn't understand him, but she smiled anyway, feeling strangely secure in his warm arms.  
  
"She should stay home for the next few days and stay in bed. I want her to come back in 3 days to have her stitches removed, and also to ensure that the swelling has gone down and that her jaw is healing correctly. Other than that, I see no reason why she can't go home now." Collin finished.  
  
Craig and Nancy hugged each other estatically, and Brady let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Thank you so much, Collin." Craig said earnestly.  
  
"Not a problem. Take care of yourself, okay Chloe?" Collin reached over and patted her shoulder. He then left to complete his rounds.  
  
The people in the waiting room rejoiced to hear the great news. Chloe just stood there clinging onto Brady, barely aware of what was going on around her. She kept her eyes shut as wave after wave of dizziness washed over her. She clutched onto Brady even tighter, using him as a lifeline. He responded by holding her tightly.  
  
Craig and Nancy came over to them. "How are you feeling, honey?" asked Nancy. Chloe just moaned in reply. "We'll get you home soon, sweetie." Nancy soothed.  
  
"Brady, could you take her home for us? We're still swamped with ER patients and it's going to be a couple of hours before we can leave." Craig asked.  
  
"Sure, that's not a problem." Brady replied.  
  
"Would you put her to bed and stay with her until we get home? I don't want her to be alone in this condition."  
  
"Of course." Brady wouldn't dream of leaving Chloe alone like this. Especially, since he blamed himself for not protecting her, for not being there when she needed him.  
  
"Do you hear that, Chloe? Brady is going to take you home, Okay?" Nancy said to Chloe.  
  
Everyone wished Chloe well and told her goodbye.  
  
"I'll see you home later, son." John said.  
  
Brady turned to leave; too quickly for Chloe's nausea. She promptly threw up on the floor. 


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Brady and Chloe slowly made their way to the Wesley's front porch. She was in front of him with her back to him. He had his right arm tight around her waist, and their left hands were joined. Chloe leaned back, so her weight was supported by Brady.  
  
Brady opened the door with the key Craig had given him and turned on the lights. He helped Chloe inside. Brady took one look at all the stairs between here and her room and thought, There's nooo way I'm doing this up those stairs. It took 5 minutes to get from the jeep to the porch!  
  
He slowly lifted Chloe up in his arms, causing her to giggle. "That's the 5th time you've giggled tonight, Chloe. Those must be some awesome pills." Brady joked.  
  
Chloe only smiled lazily in response. She was feeling gooood right now. She was still disoriented, and still couldn't think straight, but she was feelin' fine.  
  
Brady took care going up the stairs not to jostle Chloe. I don't want her to throw up AGAIN! Don't think about the expensive upholstery in the jeep, Brady.  
  
They entered her room and Brady gently set her down on her bed. She was sitting up with her legs hanging down the edge. Her head fell forward and she just stared at the floor. Brady realized that he would have to undress her, she couldn't do it herself.  
  
He knelt down on the floor in front of her, so his face was in her line of vision. He spoke in a soft sing-song voice reserved for children.  
  
"Okay, Chloe. Time to go to bed. Time to take off your stockings." Chloe's eyes were unfocused - she stared right through Brady's gaze. Her shoes had been taken off earlier; the high heels had made walking impossible for her. He put the shoes on the floor by her bed.  
  
Okay, now for the pantyhose. He furrowed his brow in thought. How am I going to do this? Chloe was totally unaware of him. He sighed deeply.  
  
He gently got Chloe to lay down on the bed. Keeping his head turned away, he slowly ran his hands up the outer sides of her legs. The feel of the silken hose beneath his fingertips drove him crazy. And apparently, he wasn't the only one affected.  
  
Chloe moaned softly and began to breathe rapidly. Her lips parted slightly and her eyes darkened. Brady's body responded instantly. Wicked thoughts ran through his mind. He wondered what it would be like to touch her, kiss her, make love to her. Not now, Brady. Not like this. He pushed all erotic thoughts out of his mind and focused on the business at hand. He rolled the hose down her smooth legs and pulled them off her feet. He threw them down on the floor beside her shoes.  
  
He went to her dresser to find a nightgown. He pulled out a midnight blue satin gown and found himself wondering what it would look like on Chloe. Stop it! He put it away and settled on a heavy, flannel, ugly sleepshirt.  
  
"Okay," he said. "Time to take off your dress like a good girl." Chloe giggled. Brady gently pulled her to her feet and had her stand in front of him facing away. He was pulling her dress off over her head when suddenly, she began to cry and struggle against him. He held her tightly to keep her from falling, wondering what was wrong with her.  
  
Her eyes were wide and staring at something only she could see. She cried louder. "Please," she begged. "Please don't. I'll be a good girl. Please don't." she sobbed heavily and tried to get out of Brady's grasp.  
  
Brady was shocked by her words and let go of her. She fell backwards on the bed and wrapped her arms around her chest in a fetal position. Brady knelt beside her and touched her shoulder. She jumped back from the burning contact, and stared in Brady's eyes.  
  
"Please," she continued. "Don't hurt me." she sobbed uncontrollably, feeling hysterical panic.  
  
"Chloe, It's me. Brady." he looked her in the eyes. "Brady." he repeated slowly. "I would never hurt you, Chloe. You're safe with me."  
  
Chloe's eyes focused on his, seeing him as if for the first time. "Brady." she said slowly. She calmed down and stopped crying. All of the excitement and movement had made her dizziness increase. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes to fight against the sensation of flying. He lay down beside her and gathered her in his arms and held her tightly. He sang softly to her, while he caressed her hair. He gently kissed the tears from her cheeks and continued to hold her. She soon fell fast asleep.  
  
It took a great deal of effort to wriggle her dress off and her nightgown on, but he did it. And he did it without looking at her, though he was sorely tempted. He pulled the covers up over her and tucked her in. He kissed her on her forehead. "Goodnight, Chloe." She murmured softly in return.  
  
He settled into a chair by her bed and watched her sleep, marveling at the sight of her. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful. His heart ached for her, burdened by emotions he had hoped to unload tonight. I can't tell her yet. Not until she's over this.  
  
His mind replayed her emotional scene earlier. He wondered what she had been talking about and knew he was afraid of the answer. I know she's had a hard life in foster care, but is it possible she was abused?  
  
He looked at her again. She was so precious to him. He couldn't believe it had taken him this long to realize it. Their connection was so strong, at times it was like they knew what the other was thinking and feeling. He wondered if the connection would give him insight into her past. She's suffered so much already. I have to make sure she doesn't suffer anymore.  
  
He continued to watch her sleep, drowning in the depth of his love for her. She moved once in her sleep and murmured out, "I love you, Brady." He looked at her and smiled. She was deeply asleep.  
  
"I love you too, Chloe." 


	21. Chapter Twenty

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 20  
  
The following morning in the halls of Salem High.  
  
Belle stood in front of her locker yawning.  
  
"Well, this is a first! Belle 'I'm a morning person' Black yawning? Say it isn't so!" her good friend Mimi cracked while coming up to her. She had just come from cleaning toilets in the bathrooms. It was part of her punishment for putting nude photos of Chloe on the Internet.  
  
"Hey Meems. I didn't get much sleep last night." Belle said tiredly.  
  
"Oh,... Hey Shawn!" Mimi motioned to Shawn who was coming up the hallway.  
  
"Morning Mimi,... Gooood morning, beautiful." He gave Belle several kisses on the lips.  
  
"MMMM, Now it is." said Belle, smiling.  
  
"Oh! I almost forgot! What happened at Tuscany last night? It's all over school that Brady and Phillip got in a fist fight over Chloe." Mime said excitedly.  
  
"What! I can't believe it's gotten out already!" Belle said, shocked.  
  
"What do you expect? Welcome to Salem High." Shawn replied, cynically.  
  
"Well, you can't expect something this big not to spread, especially since Phillip's sporting a black eye." Mimi said. "So, I guess it is true, then?" she asked.  
  
"Well, kind of ." Belle said hesitantly. She didn't like to spread gossip, especially about her friends. "Yes, they fought and yes, it was over Chloe, but it's more complicated than that." she said. "I can't go into the details."  
  
"Aaaah.... So, where is Chloe? I haven't seen her yet today and she's like Miss Perfect Attendance." Mimi rolled her eyes.  
  
"She won't be in today. She isn't feeling well." Shawn tersely replied.  
  
Mimi noticed that Belle and Shawn both seemed tense suddenly, and an awkward silence followed. "Well, I'm going to try and get a few more toilets in before 1st period. Try not to be too envious, okay?" She quipped and headed off.  
  
"Bye Meems!" Belle called after her. "Should we try to do anything about these rumors?"  
  
"What's the point? It's all going to come out anyway when the Wesleys' press charges." Shawn said.  
  
"Do you think they will?" Belle asked concerned.  
  
"Well, yeah. You know how the Wesleys are. Phillip has hurt Chloe too many times for them to just forget." he explained. "And this time, he didn't just call her names, or go out with another girl. He put her in the hospital with serious injuries."  
  
"I know. I STILL can't believe he did that to her. All last night, these two conflicting thoughts kept running through my mind. On the one hand, it's Phillip, a guy we've known all our lives; who's sweet, funny, sensitive. But then I picture Chloe from last night, bruised and battered and I'm supposed to believe Phillip did it? It just doesn't make sense." Belle said.  
  
"Phillip hasn't been making sense lately. I mean most of the time he seems normal, he's coming to terms with not being with Chloe. He's sad, yes, but otherwise he's moving on. Then there are periods where he just loses control. Take Lexie's party for example. Just earlier that day we were talking at Dot.Com and he had resigned himself to the fact that he and Chloe were over. But then just a few hours later, he loses it and crashes the party, almost getting arrested in the process." Shawn countered.  
  
"Yeah, he was way scary at the party." she agreed.  
  
"And that's not the only time. The whole reason they broke up in the first place is because Phillip lost control at the Last Blast and accused Chloe of selling her body." Shawn said. He'd never really thought about it before, but Phillip suddenly seemed to have a long history of violent explosions of temper.  
  
Belle nodded slowly. "And several times since then, he's blown up at her only to wind up apologizing. Are you beginning to see a pattern forming?" she asked.  
  
"Unfortunately, yeah. I think this has been building for a long time now."  
  
"Um, Shawn..... I want you to know that I understand if you still want to be friends with Phillip. I mean, I'm not going to have anything to do with him, even though I do still care about him. It's just... I know that you and he are good friends and you are related and..."  
  
"Belle," he interrupted. "We WERE good friends. That all changed last night. Phillip beat up someone I care very deeply for. I mean, it's taking every ounce of self control I have not to put some serious hurt on him. Believe me, being friends with him after what he did is out of the question." Shawn said with conviction.  
  
Belle appeared relieved. "Good. I didn't really know how you'd feel about him."  
  
"Well you are right about one thing. We are related, and I owe it to my "uncle" to try to help him. I guess we need to have one last talk - when I'm calm - let him know that we care about him, but we aren't his friends anymore. You know, urge him to get help, while he still can." Shawn said.  
  
"Are you calm now?" she asked nervously.  
  
"What?"  
  
Belle motioned behind Shawn. He turned and saw Phillip coming toward them. He was a mess with a giant nasty bruise over his swollen eye. He had a sorry demeanor. He was beyond pathetic.  
  
Phillip spied Belle and Shawn talking together and slowly approached them. I'm crazy for doing this but I have to know how Chloe is.  
  
"Hi," he said cautiously with his shoulders drooped and head lowered. "I know you hate me right now, but believe me it's no more than I hate myself. I just have to know...How, how is she?"  
  
Shawn's eyes blazed hot fire, and he clenched his fists. Belle lay a restraing hand on his shoulder. He angrily bit out, "She has a major concussion and a broken jaw, not to mention some lovely bruises."  
  
Phillip paled and he closed his eyes. He gripped a nearby locker for support. I did that to her. I can't believe I hurt my Chloe! He slowly turned to leave, when Shawn grabbed his arm and spun him back around.  
  
"I just want to know one thing... Why?" Shawn asked with barely controlled rage.  
  
Phillip looked at them mournfully. "I don't know why. I was heartbroken when Chloe told me that we were over, that there was no chance of us getting back together, even though I kind of knew it was over for a while. It hurt like hell but I was accepting it. But it was seeing them together, watching them dance, watching them kiss. You know it, They've been together for a while haven't they?" Phillip's eyes took on a hard crazed look and he once again felt like he was losing it.  
  
Belle noticed it and stared him right in the eyes. "Listen to me Phillip and understand this. Yes, Chloe and Brady like each other and they have for a while. But they didn't know it, okay? All those times they said they were just friends, they were telling the truth. Chloe has never once betrayed you even though you continually accuse her of it. My brother didnt steal Chloe from you - you lost her because you're such a....DICK!" she said hotly, ending on the only word she could think of to describe him.  
  
Belle's outburst had drawn curious stares from the surrounding students. Immediately, gossip flared up and burned down tne hall. {What is going on? Belle never cusses. She and Shawn look pissed. Is there going to be a fight? I thought they were friends.}  
  
Shawn had taken a menacing step towards Phillip. He hadn't liked the crazed fury on his face and decided to give him a warning. "Listen up Phillip." His voice deadly quiet. "You and Chloe are over. You lost her. If you even try to get near her, I'll finish what Brady started." And with that declaration, Shawn slammed his fist into the locker in front of Phillip - missing his face by an inch. There was a loud CLANG and the locker face was dented. Shawn then stormed off with Belle in tow, leaving behind plenty of fodder for Salem High's gossip mill. 


	22. Chapter Twentyone

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 21  
  
Chloe gingerly eased her way into a sitting position and slowly looked around the room. She had been awake for awhile. She had just stared at the ceiling trying to bring order to the chaos of her mind. It had taken her 10 minutes to figure out who she was and where she was. She was still trying to piece together the events of last night. She spied her dress hanging over her chair and vaguely remembered wearing it recently. Images came to her quickly and jumbled. I was with Brady. There was music and dancing. We were at the hospital. Why were we dancing in the hospital?  
  
She gently fingered her wounds. Her head was pounding and her jaw throbbed. What happened to me? She caught a glimpse of her face in her dresser mirror. Cold ice flowed through her veins as she saw the dark purple bruises. Her mind quickly flashed - She saw Phillip, furious - She was so scared. Brady help me!  
  
Chloe was thrown out of her reverie by the sound of her phone ringing. She winced at the fresh pain the loud noise caused. She reached over and picked it up.  
  
"Hello" she said weakly, trying not to move her sore jaw more than necessary.  
  
"Hello, Chloe. How's your head?" the disembodied male voice was back.  
  
"Who is this?" Chloe asked, fear trickling through her.  
  
"Don't you know my voice, my sweet little Chloe?"  
  
She did know the voice, but couldn't place it. "Why are you calling me?" she asked. That voice was so familiar.  
  
"Just to let you know you can't get rid of me that easily. You will be mine again, Chloe."click The voice hung up.  
  
There was a growing fear in the pit of her stomach as she realized that there was only one person it could be. Phillip. More images flashed through her mind, none of them making sense. She wanted to cry from fear and frustration when her phone rang again.  
  
She stared at the phone, feeling the fear return. She let it ring 3 times and then finally picked up. She held it to her ear, afraid to speak.  
  
"Chloe?" a warm male voice asked.  
  
"Brady." she breathed, relief coloring her voice.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked concerned.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little out of it." she quickly put the other caller out of her mind.  
  
"Well, I was just wanting to see how you were and if you were up for some company?"  
  
She was, so Brady said he'd be over shortly. I'd better make myself presentable. She looked down at the heavy flannel ugly gown she was wearing and made a face.  
  
"What am I wearing?" She took it off and traded for a blue satin pajama top and matching bottoms. She washed her face, taking care with her bruises and settled back on her bed to wait for Brady.  
  
"Hey, Sugar. Let's see what's on the soaps today, shall we?" she clicked on her tv. "What's this? There was a baby switch at the hospital? Angelica's baby isn't hers?! Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen!" she laughed.  
  
DING DONG  
  
"Oh! That's Brady!"  
  
Chloe was still suffering from some residual dizziness and the pain in her head made walking difficult. Therefore it had taken a couple of minutes for her to get halfway down the stairs. She leaned heavily on the rail for support and went down step by step.  
  
DING DONG DING DONG  
  
"I'm coming!" she yelled loudly, feeling the fresh pain from her jaw.  
  
Brady grinned to himself. He loved to push her buttons. He rang the doorbell a few more times.  
  
"DAMMIT! I'm moving as fast as I can!"  
  
Brady laughed. The front door flew open to reveal Chloe resplendant in all her radiant anger.  
  
"You," Brady said, stepping around her, "are supposed to be in bed."  
  
"I would be in bed but people keep ringing the doorbell!" she fired back, enjoying their game.  
  
"You know what!" Brady slapped his forehead playfully. "I just remembered I still have the key Craig gave me last night." he grinned widely.  
  
"You made me get out of bed and come all the way down here for nothing? HMMMPH!" She turned slowly and began to carefully make her way toward the stairs. Slooowly.  
  
Brady rolled his eyes and stepping up behind her, lifted her up in his arms.  
  
"Brady!" she squealed, ignoring her jaw. "What are you doing!" she demanded.  
  
"Oh, calm down, your Divaness. I did this last night."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"You don't remember?" he asked, concerned.  
  
"I'm working on it. It's still a blur. Brady, don't take me upstairs. Take me to the kitchen."  
  
"The kitchen?"  
  
"I'm hungry, and since we're down here..."  
  
He chuckled. "Yes, of course, your majesty." He set her down in a chair in the kitchen and began rummaging through the cabinets. "And what would her highness care to eat?"  
  
"Something that doesn't involve chewing."  
  
"Aha! Here we go - Veggie beef soup."  
  
Chloe just looked at Brady.  
  
"Right. I forgot. You're ALMOST a vegetarian." he rolled his eyes.  
  
"I am a vegetarian!" she cried.  
  
"Excuse me? You eat turkey. In my book, that's not a vegetarian."  
  
"Whatever. Just fix me something to eat." she quipped.  
  
"Yes, sir! Here, veggie no beef." he got out a pot and began heating up the soup. He also fixed some herbal tea for her to drink.  
  
He sat down with the tea and soup beside Chloe. "All kidding aside, how are you doing?" he asked. He had noticed that her bruises were darker and bigger.  
  
She gave him a small smile. "I'm okay. My head hurts and my jaw is sore, but I'm okay. What's frustrating is not remembering what happened. It took forever just for me to remember my name.... You know what happened, don't you?" she asked.  
  
"I'll tell you later. Right now, eat."  
  
She finished her soup and Brady again picked her up in his arms and headed toward her room. "You better be careful, Brady. I could get used to this!" she joked.  
  
"Well, don't. Because as soon as you're better - no more rides. You're getting too heavy for this." he smiled.  
  
"Once again, you're implying that I eat too much. Maybe I should go on a diet." She said thoughtfully, looking at her body.  
  
"Don't you dare! I love every inch of you!" Brady said seriously. 


	23. Chapter Twentytwo

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 22  
  
Chloe looked at Brady in surprise, trying to decipher the meaning of his words.  
  
"I mean, You're just perfect the way you are. I've always told you that." Brady corrected. Now was not the time to tell her he loved her.  
  
"Oh, okay." Chloe said, a little saddened by his clarification. See, he just thinks of you as a friend, Chloe. Remember, you feel the same way? "So... are you going to tell me what happened now?" she asked. They had reached her room and Brady had put her on her bed, while he sat down in her chair.  
  
He paused a moment, wondering where to begin. "What did your mom tell you?" he asked.  
  
"She and Craig were gone when I woke up; they are very busy at the hospital. Something about a train wreck. Nancy's called a few times to check on me, but no one's told me anything."  
  
"What do you remember about last night?"  
  
"Not much. I know you and I went out - mainly because my dress was out this morning and I kind of remember being with you. This may sound crazy, but I seem to remember spending a lot of time in your arms. It's all a jumble of blurry images and whirlwind emotions." she said frustrated.  
  
"Do you remember ending things with Phillip yesterday after school?"  
  
"Yes,... I finally broke up with him, and you and I went out to celebrate." she said deep in thought.  
  
"Do you remember where we went?" he asked questions to jar her memory.  
  
"We were in a concert hall...They played Beethoven!" Chloe closed her eyes and smiled at the memory of the beautiful music.  
  
Brady smiled. "Then what did we do?"  
  
"We... went to a restaurant. Maggie Horton was there? We went to Tuscany! Wait a minute.... Maggie came by this morning and gave me this." Chloe grabbed a video tape from her nightstand. "This is surveillance footage from the security cameras. She said the cameras recorded everything. Whatever that was."  
  
Brady slowly took the tape from her hands in shock. They had captured it on film? "Have you watched it yet?"  
  
"No, I had a feeling it was important - I wanted to watch with someone else." she said.  
  
DING DONG  
  
Chloe looked at her clock. "Oh! That's Belle and Shawn." she moved to get up.  
  
"I'LL get it." Brady said. "Belle and Shawn will be old and grey by the time you get there." he teased.  
  
Chloe stuck out her tongue at him. A minute later Brady, Belle and Shawn were up in Chloe's room.  
  
Belle leaned down to hug her friend. "How are you feeling?" She winced in sympathetic pain at Chloe's bruises.  
  
"Fortunately, I look worse than I feel." she answered while Shawn also hugged her.  
  
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Phillip looks almost as bad as you do." Belle said, trying to cheer Chloe up.  
  
"Phillip? What does he have to do with it?" Chloe asked, puzzled.  
  
"Chloe doesn't remember what happened. I was just in the middle of telling her." Brady told them.  
  
"Will someone just tell me?" Chloe asked in exasperation.  
  
"I'll do better than that. I'll show you. I think seeing what happened will help you remember faster than me telling you." He popped the tape in the VCR and hit play.  
  
This particular camera had been stationed in front of the ladies room because that's where a lot of pocketbook theft had occured. The four of them watched as Chloe entered the restroom. Several minutes went by and she had yet to emerge.  
  
"Um, Chloe? Not to be crude, but what took you so long?" Belle asked.  
  
Chloe was deep in thought, remembering her incident in the bathroom. When she answered her voice sounded distant.  
  
"It happened again. I lost time."  
  
"You lost time? Wait, Did you have another episode?" Belle asked.  
  
Brady stopped the tape and turned to Chloe. "What episode?" he asked, suddenly feeling anxious. He was thinking of her breakdown last night.  
  
"Chloe told me on Tuesday that Monday night after the party, something weird happened. She was getting ready for bed and somehow 20 minutes went by that she has no memory of. We've been trying to figure out if she blacked out or something. Did it happen again?" Belle asked, concern visible on her face.  
  
Chloe nodded her head. "Yes, I had gone into to restroom to clear my head and as I was leaving, I looked at my face in the mirror. It felt like only a couple of seconds had passed, but it turned out to be 10 minutes. When it happened before, I thought maybe it was just exhaustion and I fell asleep standing up or something. Now, I don't know. The feeling of both occurances was like a waking dream. Like the dreams I've been having every night lately. Since Saturday, come to think of it." she added thoughtfully.  
  
"Saturday? Oh,... since the attack." Brady said softly, realization dawning on him.  
  
"What attack?" Shawn asked, concerned.  
  
Chloe looked at Belle.  
  
"I hadn't yet told him. I didn't know if you would be okay with it." Belle explained.  
  
"It's okay, Belle.... Well, the short story is that Saturday night after you guys left, I didn't have a ride. So, like an idiot, I decided to walk to Brady's" Chloe looked down at her hands and inhaled deeply. "These guys attacked me and... tried to .. rape me. But Brady saved me." She added quickly.  
  
"Oh my God!" Shawn cried out. Just the thought of someone trying to rape her made his blood run cold. "Did they hurt you?"  
  
"No, I'm fine, thanks to Brady." Chloe said smiling at him. "These dreams and blackouts I'm having are probably just an after effect of the attack. My mind's way of dealing with the shock."  
  
"You think so?" asked Belle, still not convinced. Chloe was not the type of person to admit to needing help. "Maybe, you should talk to my mom." she suggested.  
  
"I'm sure it's nothing, but if they don't go away soon, I'll talk to her."  
  
"You promise?"  
  
"Promise. I pinky swear!" Chloe said, linking her pinky up with Belle's  
  
"Can we get back to the tape now?" Chloe asked, anxious to get off this topic and also to find out what happened.  
  
They started the tape again and saw Phillip come up to the restrooms and wait behind the door. Chloe soon came out and they saw Phillip ambush her from behind. He was talking to her and it was obvious he was upset.  
  
"No sound?" asked Shawn.  
  
"Guess not. Chloe, do you remember what he said to you?" Brady asked her.  
  
Again, Chloe looked lost in thought. "He said we've been seeing each other for awhile. That we've been playing games with him. He.... accused me of sleeping with you, and called me a whore." Chloe shivered at the memory.  
  
They all watched in stunned silence as Phillip lashed out at Chloe. They saw her fall backwards, saw her head collide with the wall, saw her sink to the floor. The tape finished playing and they were all silent, letting it sink in.  
  
It hit Belle and Shawn hard. They had still wanted to believe deep down that there was a mistake, that Phillip didn't do it, that it had been an accident. But there was no mistaking his crazed rage, his violent attack.  
  
Brady looked over at Chloe to see how she was handling it. Her eyes were distant. "I remember... I was so afraid of him. I tried to get away from him...to find you." Chloe began to cry. "I was so scared!" She sobbed softly, her shoulders shaking up and down.  
  
Brady hugged her to him closely, guilt racking his heart. He had failed to protect her. "Hey, it's okay. Phillip is never going to hurt you again." Brady promised to himself as well as Chloe. I will protect her.  
  
"Yeah, Shawn made sure of that!" Belle piped up. Chloe looked at Shawn. He looked down at the floor sheepishly.  
  
"It was great. You would've loved it!" Belle was acting overly perky in order to make Chloe feel better. "Shawn was all like 'You come near Chloe and I'll finish what Brady started.' and WHAM! throws his fist into a locker. It was great! I heard later that Phillip wet his pants, but that may have been exageration. Oh! he has a huge black eye. It's all swollen and nasty." Belle said, making a face.  
  
Chloe laughed. Belle always did know how to cheer her up.  
  
"See? Phillip's taken care of." Belle said optimistically.  
  
Chloe's face fell. "I wish that was the case."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Brady asked. If Phillip has done anything else to Chloe, he was going to pay. In blood.  
  
"Since I broke up with him yesterday, I've gotten 2 threatening phone calls from someone. He doesn't identify himself and he's disguised his voice, but still I know it's him. First of all, no one else has this #. It's unlisted. Secondly, he said things like - I belong to him, he's going to make me his. The second time he called, which was today, he asked how my head was and said that I can't get rid of him that easily." Chloe said, a cold chill running up her spine.  
  
Belle closed her eyes sadly. Phillip, you've totally lost it.  
  
Shawn and Brady were deadly quiet, a cold fury sweeping through them. 


	24. Chapter Twentythree

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 23  
  
A couple of days passed. Chloe continued to take it easy, spending a great deal of time in bed. Brady visited her often, to keep her company and also because the time he spent away from her was pure torture. The bruises had mostly faded by Monday, though there is still some tenderness. She went back to the hospital and had her stitches removed. The swelling in her brain was gone and her jaw had healed completely.  
  
The Wesleys had decided to press charges and so Phillip was arrested on Thursday evening, the day after the attack. Victor used his money and influence to strike a deal with the D.A. Phillip was placed on probation and his extracurricular activities were suspended. The Wesleys were furious at this arrangement, but Chloe just wanted it to be over. She didn't tell them about the phone calls; she didn't want to ruin Phillip's chances for his future, especially since they were halfway through their senior year. However, something happened to change her mind.  
  
Friday morning which was two days after the attack, her doorbell rang when she was home alone. It was a delivery of red roses for her. She smiled as she smelled the wonderful fragrance. These must be from Brady! The thought filled her with a sudden, inexplicable joy. She read the card and her heart stopped. The card was typed and read:  
  
VIOLETS ARE BLUE  
  
THESE ROSES ARE RED  
  
SOON I WILL FIND YOU  
  
AND YOU WILL BE DEAD  
  
Chloe dropped the vase. She barely registered when it crashed into the floor shattering into thousands of crystal shards. She watched as the water flowed over the crimson roses, water running red like blood. She stood in numbed horror while the accumulated traumas of the last several days finally broke through her barrier of shock to pierce her fragile center. She collapsed to the floor without a sound.  
  
  
  
Brady stood on the Wesleys' front porch and rang the doorbell again. No answer.  
  
"Chloe!", he called. No sound.  
  
He knew she should be home. He tried the door to find it unlocked. He walked through the doorway and froze in cold terror. Chloe was lying on the floor motionless beside a large puddle of water and broken glass. He carefully stepped around the glass and knelt beside Chloe's body. He felt for a pulse. It was strong and steady.  
  
"Chloe," he called softly, looking for any sign of injury. With the exception of some small scratches due to the glass, he couldn't find any.  
  
Chloe moaned softly and fluttered her eyes open. "Br-Brady," she said weakly. She sat up and became more alert.  
  
"Chloe, are you all right?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. What happened?" She asked dazed.  
  
"I don't know, I just came in."  
  
Chloe looked at the card that was still in her hand and it all came flooding back to her. "I fainted. Someone gave me these roses." She said slowly.  
  
"Someone gave you flowers and you fainted?"  
  
"It was the card - Here." She gave the card to Brady. The color drained from his face as he read the message.  
  
I'm going to kill him. With effort, Brady pushed the fury out of his mind and focused on Chloe. She was shaking uncontrollably. He cleaned the small cuts on her arms, and lifted her up in his arms. He carried her to her room and put her into bed. Chloe immediately curled up into a ball and stared blankly out in front of her. After an hour, she eventually drifted off into a fitful sleep.  
  
  
  
Brady cleaned up the glass and the roses and stayed with Chloe until her mother got home. He showed Nancy the card and told her about the threatening phone calls. The Wesleys put a restraining order out against Phillip, and the D.A. tightened his probation. The only place he was now able to go was school, and even there he would have to keep his distance.  
  
From Friday morning on, Chloe was never alone in the house. Someone was always with her. At times when Nancy and Craig were needed on the same shift at the hospital, then Brady would come stay with Chloe.  
  
The events of the last week had taken their toll on Chloe. She was healing physically, but emotionally she was unraveling. First, Saturday night she was attacked and almost raped. Monday night there was the drama with Phillip at the Dimera party. Wednesday, she broke up with him, only to be attacked by him that night. Then there were the phone calls and the flowers on Friday. All of this combined with the fact that since Saturday, she hasn't had a decent night's sleep and her black outs - Well, it was all too much for Chloe.  
  
Friday night, her night terrors began.  
  
It was 2 am and Nancy and Craig were enjoying a rare deep sleep. They were totally exhausted from worrying about Chloe and extra patients at the hospital. Unfortunately, their rest would not last.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Chloe's piercing scream shattered the quiet stillness.  
  
Craig was up in a flash - years as an on-call emergency doctor had made him able to go from deep sleep to fully alert in seconds. Nancy was close behind; as a mother and a doctor's wife, she had similar abilities.  
  
They raced down the hall and Chloe continued screaming. They were horrified by the sight that met their eyes. Chloe was tossing and kicking, clawing at the air eyes wide open and unfocused. She managed to scream and cry at the same time.  
  
Craig grabbed hold of her and tried to wake her, but she was completely unaware of his presence. Through her choking sobs, they made out the words, "No..... don't.....please.....No". Endless minutes passed and her screams ceased. She just cried. Her entire body shook with the force of her sobs. Nancy and Craig were rocked to their very core by her cries. The sound was heartbreaking. Craig held her and rocked her until she finally calmed down thirty minutes later. She soon drifted back off to sleep.  
  
Craig and Nancy went down to the kitchen and talked about what happened. They stayed up the rest of the night.  
  
Chloe's nightmare episode repeated Saturday and Sunday nights with the same results. Chloe screaming in her sleep unable to wake up. Crying and struggling only to eventually go back to sleep.  
  
Every morning was the same. Chloe woke up with no memory of what the nightmare was about or even having one at all. Craig vowed to talk to Marlena on Monday. 


	25. Chapter Twentyfour

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 24  
  
Monday morning before school...  
  
Shawn had arrived to take Belle to school. They were just about to leave when Brady called to them as he was coming down the stairs.  
  
"Hey guys, wait up. Chloe's going to school today. I want you two to stick by her like glue. Phillip is to have nothing to do with her. He doesn't talk to her, he doesn't come near her, he doesn't look at her." Brady told them.  
  
"Not a problem, man." Shawn said quietly. Brady had told them about the flowers and the note. Shawn was ready to kill Phillip.  
  
"Does she have any classes that you aren't in?" Brady asked.  
  
"One, Chamber singers." Belle answered.  
  
"OK, you walk her to that class and pick her up afterwards."  
  
"Are we being too paranoid about this? Phillip's under a restraining order. He can't break it, that's illegal." Belle said.  
  
"Yeah, so's assault." Shawn answered cynically. "Phillip has threatened to KILL Chloe. We have to stop thinking of him as our friend, no matter how hard it is."  
  
"I know. Well, we only have to worry about it for today and then we let out for Christmas break." Belle said.  
  
"Oh, Belle? Tell Chloe I'm going to pick her up from school today, OK?" Brady asked.  
  
"OK, Bye!"  
  
  
  
"Hey, Shawn, there's Chloe. Oh my, she looks bad." exclaimed Belle softly. And with good reason. Chloe was dressed simply in dark somber colors, similar to the clothes she wore when she first came to town, when she was known as "ghoul girl". She did wear makeup, but that was mainly to cover the remaining bruises that hadn't yet healed. Most noticable were her eyes. They were puffy and red. Chloe was acting both jittery and withdrawn.  
  
Belle and Shawn approached Chloe. "Hi Chloe, how are you feeling today?" Belle asked.  
  
Chloe jumped at Belle's greeting even though they were standing right in front of her. As if she hadn't noticed their approach.  
  
"I'm.... fine. Both my head and my jaw have healed.... they don't hurt anymore." Chloe had a hard time looking at them, a hard time focusing.  
  
"Chloe, what's wrong? You're a wreck!" Belle cried.  
  
"Bad week followed by a horrible weekend." Chloe replied. "Belle, I feel like I'm losing my mind. The flowers thing really shook me up. I can't concentrate and I have this feeling that someone's following me." Chloe took a deep, calming breath. "I got 5 more calls this weekend, each more threatening than the last. I'm afraid to answer my phone. And if all that wasn't enough, I'm having waking nightmares now." Chloe shuddered.  
  
"Waking nightmares?" Belle asked. "What about?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't even remember having them. But according to Craig and Nancy, every night I wake up screaming and crying, only I'm not awake - I'm still asleep and they can't wake me. I cry for an hour or so and then go back to sleep. I've had maybe 10 good hours of sleep this entire weekend. I'm exhausted, but I'm too afraid to sleep." Chloe smiled weakly. "Right now I'm on caffeine overload - that's why I'm so jumpy."  
  
"That's it! I want you to see my mom." Belle cried.  
  
"Belle..." Chloe hesitated. She didn't really want to see a shrink.  
  
"No arguments. You pinky swore! Remember? Something serious is going on in that head of yours and Mom's the only one who can help. You're going to see her and that's final!"  
  
During the girls' conversation, Shawn had been on full alert for Phillip. He felt extremely protective of Chloe. He would not allow Phillip to get any where near her. Shawn spotted Phillip at the end of the hall heading their way. He turned to the girls.  
  
"Come on, let's head onto class. We have our remaining finals today."  
  
  
  
Phillip rounded the corner heading toward his locker and stopped. There, down the hall was Chloe. Despite her makeup, he could see the bruising, the slight swelling on her jaw. Phillip wanted to cry. Even in her condition, she was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. He felt drawn to her, and before he even knew what he was doing, he was walking toward her.  
  
Phillip saw Shawn's warning glare and stopped. He watched as Shawn led Chloe away from him, a protective arm around her shoulder. Phillip caught his breath when suddenly Chloe turned back around for a moment. Their eyes locked for an endless second. Phillip saw the fear, the abject terror in her eyes and felt sick. He made no move as she turned and walked away from him.  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Dr Marlena Evans Black was filing the paperwork on one of her patients when there was a knock on her office door.  
  
"Come in." she answered. She smiled when she saw who it was. "Good morning, Craig." she said sweetly.  
  
"Good morning, Marlena. I hope I have'nt come at a bad time." He looked tired and worried.  
  
"No, no. Come in, sit down." Marlena took in Craig's appearance. "What's wrong, Craig? You look exhausted."  
  
"I am exhausted." he replied yawning.  
  
Marlena poured him a cup of coffee. "I was under the impression that things had slowed back down to normal here after last week's train wreck." She handed him the coffee.  
  
"Thanks. It has. Nancy and I are back on our standard shift schedule."  
  
"Then what has you so tired?" Marlena asked, concerned.  
  
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. It's Chloe."  
  
Marlena listened intently while Craig filled her in on the latest events; the phone calls, the flowers and the nightmares. He told her how Chloe was becoming increasingly nervous and withdrawn.  
  
"Do you want me to take Chloe on as a patient?" she asked.  
  
"Could you? Do you have the time?"  
  
"Yes, one of my regular patients had a major breakthrough and we've cut back on our sessions so there's room for Chloe." she answered, checking her date book.  
  
"Thank you so much. I'll get with Chloe on scheduling."  
  
"Ok, just have her call my assistant for an appointment." 


	26. Chapter Twentyfive

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 25  
  
Belle was worried. She was taking her US history final but it wasn't the test that was bothering her. It was her friend Chloe. Belle looked over at her again.  
  
Chloe hadn't moved since the test began. She was looking in front of her, staring blankly, her hands gripping her desk. Her knuckles were white and she seemed to be upset about something.  
  
Belle decided to try to snap her out of it.  
  
"Chloe!" she hissed.  
  
No reaction.  
  
"Chloe!" she hissed again as loud as she could without drawing attention from Mr. Woods.  
  
Belle gently nudged her elbows.  
  
With a start Chloe came back to herself. She began breathing rapidly and shaking, drawing stares from the other students in the class.  
  
"Chloe, are you okay?" Mr Woods asked.  
  
She looked up at him, a confused expression on her face. She looked at the clock on the wall. Her eyes widened and her features crumpled as she began to cry. Belle and Shawn rushed over to her. Belle wrapped her arms around her to comfort her. She knew Chloe must have had another episode. "Mr Woods, I think Chloe needs to go to the restroom." He gave Belle the hall pass and she helped Chloe out of the classroom.  
  
Belle led Chloe into the nearest ladies' room. Chloe was crying still and shaking uncontrollably. She sank down onto the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. Belle wrapped her arms around her as if to give her strength and comfort.  
  
"Chloe, what is it? What's wrong? Did you have another episode?" Belle wanted to cry. It killed her to see her best friend like this.  
  
Chloe continued crying. "It's...it's happening again! Why God? Why? It's happening again!" She managed to say through halting sobs.  
  
"What's happening again?"  
  
"I'm losing time. Dark hidden memories taking me back - Don't go to sleep." Belle was at a loss. Chloe wasn't making any sense.  
  
"Lost time, dark dreams, bad men. Falling, falling, falling into nothing." Chloe whispered. She eventually stopped crying. Belle continued to hold Chloe and rocked her back and forth. {I wish Mom was here. She'd know what to do.}  
  
Chloe looked up at Belle and then at her surroundings. "Belle? How did we get here in the restroom?"  
  
"You don't remember? We were taking the US history final and you had another one of your episodes. You started crying, and I brought you here. Are you okay? You were pretty out of it just now."  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine- just tired. I was out of it?" Chloe asked.  
  
"You were saying some things I didn't understand. Something about losing time and dark memories. Does that make any sense to you?"  
  
"No.." Chloe paused trying to pull herself together. "This is probably nothing. I'm sleep deprived and add in all the stress I've endured lately. It's just taking its toll, that's all."  
  
"I have an idea! Why don't you sleep over tonight? We'll have fun and it will keep your mind off of things. I mean, if you're not going to sleep anyway you might as well stay up with me!" Belle enthused. {Plus, if she has another episode, Mom will be able to help her.}  
  
"OK, sounds like fun." Chloe said, glad to get off the topic. "Nancy and Craig will be happy to get some sleep." she added with a small smile.  
  
"We should probably get back to class." Belle said. They were halfway down the hall when the bell rang. "Too late!" she laughed. Shawn met them on the way carrying their books and purses they had left behind.  
  
"What are we going to do about our history final?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Mr. Woods said he would not count the final as part of you grade given everything you've been through. And Belle, he's going to let you take it today after school." Shawn said.  
  
Relief washed over their faces. They walked to Chloe's locker and Shawn and Belle talked while Chloe put her books away.  
  
"Man, I'm glad we've got lunch now. I need a break." Shawn said.  
  
"How do you think you did?" Belle asked.  
  
"OK, but it's hard telling. I could just as easily have failed it. It didn't help that I was so worried about the two of you that I couldn't concentrate!" he teased.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry Chloe's trauma inconvenienced you. Next time we'll work around your schedule. Won't we, Chloe?" Belle asked. She looked at Chloe. "Chloe?"  
  
She was staring into her locker. Shawn noticed that she had dropped her books on the floor. "Chloe, what's wrong....OH My God." he said as he looked at her locker.  
  
Belle looked too and froze.  
  
The inside of Chloe's locker was filled with photographs of Chloe, taken when she was unaware. There were pictures of her and Belle at Salem Place, pictures taken outside of school and even some taken from outside Chloe's bedroom window. Blood dripped down the walls and there were typed notes taped up everywhere promising Chloe the most horrific forms of torture.  
  
Centerstage in her locker was a collage of obscene pictures that had been downloaded from the Operagirl.net site. And a note that read  
  
I'M GOING TO F*CK YOU UNTIL YOU DIE  
  
Chloe just stood there, numb. This was too much. Just one more thing to deal with. In her mind she saw a line of dominoes. The first one fell, striking each of the others behind it. Belle and Shawn were horrified. Shawn got Mr. Woods' attention while Belle tried to turn Chloe away from her locker. Suddenly, Chloe's cell phone rang. She answered it, still in shock. Dominoes falling.  
  
"hello" her voice sounded unreal.  
  
"Hello, Chloe." A familiar male voice said. Chloe couldn't even feel fear or shock anymore. She was tapped out.  
  
"I see you noticed my redecorating. I hope you like it." Dominoes falling, coming to the end of the line.  
  
Chloe threw her cell phone into the wall. The last domino fell.  
  
Chloe's eyes rolled back into her head and she dropped like a lead weight. Shawn swiftly caught her in his arms.  
  
"Chloe! Chloe!" he called. But she didn't hear him. She was falling into nothing. 


	27. Chapter Twentysix

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 26  
  
Phillip stared at his blank English test. He was thinking about Chloe, remembering the look of fear on her face. {How am I going to get through the year? Living in the same town, going to the same school and not be able to see her or talk to her?} Phillip remembered his mom Kate telling him about her exhusband Curtis. Curtis beat Kate while they were together and then took her children Austin and Billie away from her. Phillip thought about how upset he had been just thinking about someone hitting his mom. {Do I want to be like that? I need help, I can't take the chance that I won't hurt Chloe again.}  
  
Phillip was brought out of his reverie when two policemen entered the class. They talked to the teacher briefly and then looked over at Phillip.  
  
"Phillip Kiriakis?" they asked, coming up to him, an aura of authority surrounding them.  
  
"Yes?" he answered cautiously. What was this about?  
  
"Phillip Kiriakis, you are under arrest for violating your restraining order and for the harrassment of Chloe Lane." they dragged him to his feet and cuffed him while they read him his rights.  
  
"What are you talking about? Harrassment? I haven't done anything!" he cried.  
  
"That will be decided later, for now, just come with us."  
  
Phillip allowed them to lead him away, deciding for once not to agravate the situation by resisting arrest. He found that he was actually too depressed to care.  
  
They lead him down the hall past Chloe's locker. Policemen were taking pictures of it and collecting evidence while students milled around gossiping excitedly. It had been a very wild couple of days at Salem High.  
  
Phillip was curious at the sight of her locker and wondered what had happened. Off to the side he saw a policewoman interviewing Belle and Shawn. Shawn stopped speaking midsentence and glared at Phillip.  
  
Then Phillip saw her. A shaking, distraught Chloe was being comforted by Brady. Phillip couldn't help but feel jealous anger as he saw that Brady's arms were around her in a tight embrace. She was facing away from Brady as he held her from behind. She simply stared straight ahead, emotionally drained. As Phillip walked by, both Chloe and Brady met his gaze. Chloe just looked right through him, while Brady's glare made Phillip feel glad that he was in protective police custody.  
  
Phillip just sadly walked on by and was quiet all the way to the police station.  
  
  
  
"Miss Lane, I think we have everything we need. If we have any questions, we'll call you." The policewoman said gently and left.  
  
"Yay! We can go home now! Christmas vacation has officially begun. How do you feel about that Chloe?" Belle asked, excited for many reasons, but also to try to snap Chloe out of her daze.  
  
"Okay." Chloe replied simply.  
  
"Slumber party! We are going to have so much fun! It's been ages since we did anything like this! It will be just what you need!" Belle enthused.  
  
Chloe gave her a weak smile. It was hard not to be happy around Belle. It was also hard not to feel happy and safe wrapped in Brady's strong arms. Her shock was slowly wearing off and she was becoming aware of every sensation. The heat of him coursing though her body. His warm breath on her neck. His unique smell that made her want to wrap herself in his clothes. She noticed everytime his hands idly caressed her arms.  
  
She remembered dancing with Brady, being in his arms. {Phillip never made me feel like this. What does that mean? You are NOT falling for Brady! You're just emotional and vulnerable.} She tried to tell herself, but it was a wasted effort. She looked up at his face, those warm rugged features. Those deep beautiful eyes, that amazing smile. She felt weak when Brady looked down at her and returned her gaze. He smiled at her warmly. She quickly looked away, suddenly afraid of what she was feeling.{Oh, no.} she thought {I'm in love with Brady.}  
  
Chloe realized that Belle was talking.  
  
"So, what do you want to do tonight?" she asked.  
  
"Something mindless and fun." Chloe answered dreamily, closing her eyes. She leaned back against Brady. {I could sleep like this.}  
  
"We could stay up late watching movies! Do like a theme - ooh horror! I 've got all the Scream movies. Oh, Sorry Chloe. My brain just caught up with my mouth. I'm thinking those are probably the last things you want to see right now. What do you want to watch?"  
  
"Something lighthearted, warm, innocent. I kinda want to feel like a child for a while, you know?"  
  
"I've got it! I've got like every Disney cartoon ever. We'll do a Disney marathon, it'll be great!"  
  
Shawn and Brady moaned in mock horror.  
  
"I know it seems childish and immature, but it will be fun with the four of us. We can make fun of the cheesy parts. Shawn, you could stay over too and it will be like one big slumber party. For one night we can forget we're seniors getting ready to face the world. We can forget all our problems and just be kids again. Please?" Belle begged, using her large expressive eyes as deadly weapon.  
  
"Oh, not the eyes! OK, fine, anything you want." Shawn agreed helplessly.  
  
"Ok, I suppose it won't be sooo awful. But next time, we have to watch manly movies." Brady joked.  
  
"Ok, Operation Cheer-Up-Chloe is in full effect. Men, we are going to need supplies. Brady, you take Chloe home so she can pack her things and bring her to our place. Shawn and I will go to the store. You have your orders. Move out." 


	28. Chapter Twentyseven

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 27  
  
Later at the Black penthouse, around 4:00.  
  
"I can't believe we beat Belle back here, even with me packing and changing clothes." Chloe said.  
  
"You know my sister. Never turn her loose at shopping. She'll wipe out the store." Brady replied.  
  
As if on cue, Belle and Shawn enter laden with grocery bags.  
  
"What all did you get?" an incredulous Chloe asked.  
  
"Only the absolute necessities, I assure you." Belle replied. "We have pizza, popcorn, chips, all kinds of caffeine-laden soft drinks, cookies, chocolate, several things of ice cream including mocha chip. And we have some chilled cappaccino drinks - in case we need more caffeine, and just a few more things." Belle finished her list breathlessly.  
  
"See? I told you." Brady said to Chloe. "Oh, by the way, Dad and Marlena said it would be okay for Shawn to stay over, but I am in charge. So if you have any notions of gettin' it on with my baby sister then I'll have to kick your ass." Brady said smiling.  
  
"Dude, we're not like that." Shawn said.  
  
"Good, keep it that way."  
  
"Did they say when they'd be in?" Belle asked.  
  
"They are going to stay out later tonight, to give us some space. They'll pobably be in early in the morning."  
  
"Ok, let's get to it!" Belle yelled.  
  
  
  
A few hours later...  
  
"Ugh. I'm gonna be sick." Chloe said setting down her half finished bowl of mocha chip ice cream with hot fudge and oreo cookies.  
  
"No wonder, there's enough caffiene and sugar in this room to operate a Starbucks." Shawn commented dryly. He wondered how Belle could pack away the food and still remain so petite. {Must run in the family.} he thought as he noticed Brady working on his third bowl of ice cream.  
  
"How can you two eat like that?" Chloe asked, making a face.  
  
"Years of practice." Belle answered. "When we were little, Brady and I used to stay up all the time. We'd be up all night watching movies and eating junk food. We'd be so wired we wouldn't be able to sleep for days. Hey, that's mine!" she cried as Brady lunged for the last pickle.  
  
A brief, but vicious battle ensued with Belle emerging victorious. Chloe and Shawn stared dumbfounded as Belle held her prize high in the air, flaunting it in front of her sullen brother.  
  
"Man, when did you get so mean?" he asked, rubbing a sore spot on his arm.  
  
"Years of practice living with a mean older brother." she shot back, smiling.  
  
"Hey, let's take a break from the movies. We could play a game?" Chloe suggested.  
  
"How about strip poker?" Shawn suggested mischieviously.  
  
"Ok, first of all, I don't think Brady wants to see his baby sister naked. Secondly, you guys have already seen me naked." Chloe said referring to the pornographic website that Jan and Mimi set up as a prank on Chloe.  
  
"That doesn't count, they covered up the good parts." Shawn commented. He soon noticed three pairs of eyes glaring at him. "I'm just kidding!" he held up his hands in peace, laughing. "Besides, there's only one person I want to see naked." he looked at Belle.  
  
"DUDE!" Brady said loudly.  
  
"Oh, right. Sorry."  
  
"Anyway, back to the games.... Any suggestions?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Truth or Dare?" Belle suggested.  
  
"Nah, too cliched. Besides, there aren't enough people here to do it properly." Brady answered.  
  
"Hey, Mr. College Man. I bet you know some fun games." Shawn teased.  
  
"Yeah, and they all involve consuming large amounts of alcohol." he quipped.  
  
"Hmmmmm..." Belle pondered.  
  
"Don't even think it." Brady warned.  
  
"Seriously, what about poker?" Shawn said.  
  
"Ok, there's this variation I used to play with my dormmates. The winner of each hand chooses someone in the group. That person has to reveal an embarassing story about himself." Brady said.  
  
"Ooooh, sounds good." Belle said. They all agreed and got in a circle. Belle won the first hand, and like a good little sister chose Brady.  
  
"I bet I know what Brady's embarrassing story is. I'm thinking Monday afternoon, two teenage girls and one very naked Brady Black?" Chloe teased.  
  
Brady shot a cold glare at Chloe, while Belle erupted in laughter.  
  
"No! No! It took days to get that picture out of my head and now it's back!" Belle cried. Shawn looked at her puzzled.  
  
"We saw Brady naked." Chloe explained.  
  
"Yeah, we were headed up to my room, when Brady comes flying down the stairs, buck-ass naked."  
  
Brady rolled his eyes. "I had just taken a shower. Towels were in the laundry room. I thought I was alone." he explained to Shawn.  
  
"Of course, from what I saw, you don't have anything to be embarrassed about." Chloe said slyly.  
  
"AAAAGH! Can we NOT talk about this?" Belle screamed.  
  
"Ok, my story involves alcohol and women's underwear."  
  
"Oh, I'm gonna like this story." Belle said.  
  
  
  
"Ok. Senior year at the boarding school. It's coed with the boys in one dorm and the girls in another. Well, we were having a massive party in the boys' dorm. Alcohol was free flowing. There were even jello shots and watermelon shots."  
  
"Watermelon shots?" Chloe asked.  
  
"It's when you cut a hole in a watermelon and pour a couple of bottles of vodka in it. Then cut it up and serve in pieces. It's amazing how drunk you can get off it. That night, I was beyond drunk. I finally passed out somewhere. Some time passed and soon I became vaguely aware of giggling and laughing. I slept on until the sun was in my eyes and the laughter was overwhelming. I woke up to find myself in the lobby of the girls dorm wearing nothing but a black lace bra and matching panties. I was surrounded by laughing girls and the guys in my dorm were taking pictures, and laughing hysterically."  
  
Chloe and Shawn erupted in laughter, while Belle screamed. "Again with the mental pictures! I'm gonna be scarred for life!" she laughed.  
  
"So, Brady, is there something you wanna get off your chest?" Shawn cracked.  
  
"My cousin, the comedian." Brady deadpanned.  
  
"Ok, we are changing the subject right now!" Belle said. "I already know WAY too much about you!"  
  
"Well, look at it this way. Now you have plenty of blackmail material." Chloe joked.  
  
"HMMMMM..." Belle pondered with a wicked grin. "Although, that's really more Sami's thing." she laughed. They continued the game with the occasional chuckle as someone processed the visual of Brady in women's underwear.  
  
Brady was vindicated, though, when he won the next hand. He looked at Chloe and grinned wickedly.  
  
"You guys already know all my embarrassing stories." she protested.  
  
"You mean to tell me, in the 15 years you lived before coming here, that NOTHING embarrassing EVER happened to you?" Brady countered.  
  
"Well, there's one story. But I warn you, it's gross. Like in a feminine issues kind of way."  
  
"Hey, if I had to tell about me wearing panties, you gotta tell your story. No excuses, spill."  
  
"Ok, fine. When I was 12, there was a time where I was between foster homes, so I was at the orphanage. Well, my adoptive mother never got around to telling me about... the facts of life before she died, and none of the foster moms thought to bring it up either. So one morning I wake up and there is blood everywhere. I screamed my head off. I thought I was dying. The nurse comes running in and I'm freaking out, running around in circles and crying out 'I'm bleeding! I'm bleeding!' and I've attracted a crowd of amazed onlookers. The nurse takes one look at me and says, 'Calm down, Chloe. It's just your period.' She spent like the next 3 hours explaining everything to me. Afterwards I told her that 'being a girl sucks.' 'Yeah,' she replied, 'Welcome to womanhood.' That's pretty much it."  
  
Chloe looked at Shawn and Brady. Brady was looking kind of green. "Ok, so maybe I didn't need to hear that." he said.  
  
Belle won the next hand. (A\N: Don't ever play against Belle at poker, she'll kick your ass.) "Ok, Shawn, your turn." she smiled sweetly.  
  
Shawn groaned and rolled his eyes. "My story also takes place at boarding school. One day after gym, I'm taking a shower. My roommates thought it would be oh-so-funny to take all my clothes. So I'm walking to my dorm, which is conveniently located on the other side of campus, wearing nothing but a tiny little white towel."  
  
Laughter erupted from the room. Shawn chuckled. "Wait, it gets better. It just happened to be Parents' Day, and there are mobs of people everywhere. I finally manage to make it to my room without any major incidents. Of course, my dad is waiting there for me."  
  
"How did he react?" Brady asked.  
  
"Oh, he thought it was hilarious. All day long he would smile to himself and chuckle everytime he saw me. It was bizarre, like a scene from American Pie."  
  
Their game continued on and soon they forgot about playing poker. They just talked and laughed, enjoying each other's company. The four gradually changed positions until there no longer four individuals but two couples. Belle sat in between Shawn's legs and his arms were wrapped around her waist. Chloe wound up sitting beside Brady. His left arm was around her and their right hands were joined, fingers interlaced. Chloe stopped trying to analyze her feelings and surrendered to the sensations. She lay her head on his shoulder.  
  
"So, what shall we watch next?" Belle asked.  
  
"The Little Mermaid! I've never seen it, but it was my favorite story when I was little. I used to beg my dad to read it to me." Chloe said wistfully.  
  
Belle and Shawn snuggled together under a blanket on the floor, while Chloe and Brady made themselves comfy on the couch. Chloe snuggled close beside Brady. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
Chloe watched the cartoon, enthralled. However, toward the end, she began to be puzzled and confused. The movie ended and she let out a disgusted snort.  
  
"Leave it to Disney to slap a happy ending on it." she said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Belle asked.  
  
"This isn't how it ends. In the story the prince falls in love with and marries the false Ariel and the real Ariel is turned into seafoam."  
  
"Well, that's crappy!" Belle replied. "What kind of love story is that?"  
  
"It's not a love story. It's a morality tale. A warning about the dangers of infatuation, of losing yourself and your identity in a relationship. Think about it. Ariel gave up her voice, her family... her whole life for a man she just met, a man she didn't even know! And the prince only knew her for her voice, so when an imposter came along, sounding like Ariel and looking like her, he fell for it. Because he only knew her outside - he didn't know her soul....Oh my god..." Chloe trailed off, lost in thought.  
  
"What?"  
  
"That was me. I gave up everything for Phillip, my singing... my dreams, everything. All my life, music was the most important thing to me. It was the only thing that got me through..... my past. But I just about stopped singing when I was with Phillip. It was like the music was gone from my soul. I even questioned my dreams, of Juliard, of singing at the Met. I can't believe it! I did the one thing I promised myself I would never do. I let myself get trapped in that kind of relationship. How stupid!" she cried, angry at herself.  
  
"Hey, don't beat yourself up over this." Brady told her, looking her in the eyes. "A lot happened from the time your parents died to when you met Phillip. The years you spent in foster care and orphanages had an effect on you. Remember, we talked about it. (waaaay back in chpt 7) You were starved for affection and Phillip showered you with it. Anyone with your experiences would have done the same. You learn from your mistakes and move on, OK?" Brady said with a warm smile.  
  
Chloe looked Brady in the eyes. "You know, if it weren't for you, I'd still be with him. I'd be making excuses for him, believing that he actually loved me. It was our friendship that opened my eyes; showed me what was lacking in my relationship with Phillip. I knew it was wrong that I was closer to my friend than my boyfriend. Thank you.... for being there for me - for showing me what love should be."  
  
"Don't mention it. You deserve nothing less than the real thing." They stared deep into each other's eyes. A moment, a lifetime passed wordlessly while their souls communed through their eyes.  
  
However, their tender moment was loudly interrupted by the sounds of fake snores emitting from Belle and Shawn. (Damn them! Just when it was getting good!) They erupted into laughter as Chloe and Brady just looked at them.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry kiddies. Is our adult, grown up conversation boring you?" Chloe quipped.  
  
"Yes, talk bad. movie good." Shawn intoned.  
  
"Oooh, my caffeine buzz is wearing off. Time for a recharge." Belle said as she headed into the kitchen. She came back, arms laden with chips, cookies and drinks. "Want some, Chloe? It's not even midnight, and you're the one who's trying not to sleep."  
  
Chloe appeared nauseous. "Ugh. No thanks, I'll try my luck with my dreams."  
  
"Suit yourself! Next movie!"  
  
The movie finished and Belle looked over at the couch. "Amateur." she rolled her eyes. Chloe was sound asleep, wrapped up in Brady's arms.  
  
"I suppose we should put her to bed."  
  
"NNNNOOOO, we're comfy." Brady whined, snuggling closer to Chloe.  
  
Belle got to her feet. "C'mon Brady, she needs her sleep."  
  
Brady slowly lifted Chloe up in his arms, careful not to wake her and headed upstairs. He placed her in the second bed in Belle's room, and tucked her in. He stood for a few minutes looking at her. She looked so peaceful, content. It was a stark contrast to her appearance this afternoon.  
  
After she fainted, Belle had called him on his cell phone. He had raced over to the school. He ignored Chloe's locker; he was too worried about her. She slowly regained consciousness in his arms, but it was many long minutes before she was calm enough to talk. Brady just held her, letting his warmth flow through her, giving her comfort.  
  
Brady looked down at Chloe's sleeping form. He saw the dark circles under her eyes, the pale cast to her skin. Brady thought about the contents of her locker and shook with a violent rage. {At least the bastard's in jail.} Sighing deeply, he bent down and placed a featherlight kiss on her forehead.  
  
He came back down to find Belle waking up Shawn.  
  
"C'mon Shawn." she said in a sing song voice. "Time to go to bed."  
  
"MMMM, with you?" he grinned, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"No, with Brady." she teased.  
  
Shawn dropped his arms, fully alert now. "Kill joy." he muttered.  
  
"Sorry. Parents' rules."  
  
"Yeah, and I'm the enforcer." Brady said. "Shawn, there's a mattress for you on the floor of my room."  
  
"Thanks, I'd better get to sleep. I promised my mom I'd watch JT for her in the morning." he leaned in and kissed Belle gently on the lips. "Goodnight, perfect girl." he grinned.  
  
"'Night. Tough Guy." Belle smiled as he headed upstairs.  
  
"Ugh. That was so sweet, I'm going to be violently ill." Brady cracked.  
  
"Yeah, well. Wait til you and Chloe get going, smartass. Then you'll be all like- I love you snookie wookie."  
  
"Snookie wookie?"  
  
"And she'll be all like - I love you too, my honey bunny."  
  
"Snookie wookie. Please, it'll be COLD day in hell, when snookie wookie comes out of my lips."  
  
"Just a matter of time, bro. In fact, I bet you've already got a pet name for Chloe." She said smiling.  
  
Brady opened his mouth to argue and then snapped it shut.  
  
"I'm going to bed. 'Night, Tink."  
  
"Night, Brady.  
  
{Oh, great.} Belle thought. {Everyone has gone to bed and I'm still wired. Ooh, I think I'll watch a scary movie.} She was halfway through Scream, when John and Marlena entered.  
  
"Hi, Belle. Is everyone else in bed? I would have thought you guys would be up all night?" Marlena asked.  
  
"That was the plan. I guess they just don't have my stamina. I'll go to bed myself as soon as the caffeine wears off, if it ever does."  
  
"How's Chloe?" Marlena asked, concerned. This night had been entirely for her benefit.  
  
"Good. She really needed this, Mom. She was a complete wreck today." Belle answered.  
  
"Poor girl. We heard about Phillip's arrest. Craig asked me to take her on as a patient. He's concerned about these nightmares she's having. How long has Chloe been asleep?"  
  
"A couple of hours. She fell asleep in Brady's arms. Those two are so cute together, you should have seen them."  
  
John and Marlena smiled, thinking of how far Brady had come since coming back home. "We're going to bed now. Goodnight, sweetie."  
  
"G'night, Mom, Dad."  
  
  
  
A few minutes later, John and Marlena were getting ready for bed when a piercing scream rang through the penthouse.  
  
"We'd better get Belle to turn that down." John said.  
  
"No... I think it was" they heard another scream.  
  
"Chloe!" they cried in unison.  
  
They fled down the hall to Belle's room, followed shortly by a breathless Belle.  
  
"Mom, Dad, what is it?.....Oh my God..." 


	29. Chapter Twentyeight

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 28  
  
"Where did it go?" Chloe looked around, confused. Just moments ago, Chloe had lain in a warm country field. Wildflowers stood tall around her and a warm summer breeze caressed her. She was happy, safe and warm, like the sun had wrapped arms around her. Somewhere off in the distance, a drum sounded.  
  
Badum, badum. Steady and reassuring.  
  
Badum, badum. In time with her own heartbeat.  
  
Badum, badum. The two beats became one and she could no longer tell which was which.  
  
It was like two halves of the same heart, long ago split apart, now coming back together. Becoming whole.  
  
Chloe lay there drowsily, caressed by the sun, listening to calming heartbeats, when suddenly it went away. She was cold again and alone; her lone heartbeat pounding wildly.  
  
"Where did it go?" She felt like something very important had left and she didn't know what it was or how to get it back.  
  
She found herself in an old house. It was night. It was always night in that house.  
  
The house was full of shadows, the shadows full of soft spoken words and half remembered dreams.  
  
Fear lived in this house. It was a tangible, palpable force you could feel in the oppressively heavy air.  
  
Chloe stood in a long hallway. At the end there was a door. She knew what was behind that door, for she had been in this house. Yes, she knew this house well.  
  
Chloe sees herself in the mirror. She's smaller now, younger. Thirteen? Fourteen? She's fourteen years old. She looks young and innocent, but her eyes give her away. They are sad, haunted, old beyond time.  
  
She begins walking toward the door. She has no choice. She does as she must, as she has always done, as she always will. She stops just outside the door. She hears soft voices on the other side. Someone is crying softly. She opens the door.  
  
And screams. 


	30. Chapter Twentynine

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 29  
  
He stood out on the balcony, looking up at the stars. Thousands of twinkling lights. Brady felt that there was a message for him in the sky, if he just looked hard enough. Everything seems so real, but it is not. It is a dream.  
  
Brady stared intently at the sky, frustrated. There was something important he was supposed to see, something he was supposed to know. But all he saw were those same blinking lights.  
  
"You're trying too hard." A soft, lilting voice laughed. "Just listen to the language of your soul." she said.  
  
Brady closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He felt himself relax and opened his soul. He looked back at the stars, those twinkling lights. He soon realized that they were twinkling in rhythm. The stars slowly began to move in time to an unknown beat. Just when Brady realized that they were dancing, he heard the music they were dancing to. He immediately recognized the song, for it was a part of him, a song of his soul.  
  
As he stood there, listening to the music of the night, his eyes focused on one part of the sky. He soon found he had telescopic vision. He zoomed in on two lone stars, each surrounded by a vast black region of empty space. Each alone in the void.  
  
One star was a fiery red; the other a cool blue. Slowly, in time to the song, the two stars began to gravitate towards each other. They circled each other slowly. Fire and Ice.  
  
The song swelled to a crescendo, building to a climax as the two stars danced closer and closer, drawn by gravity and an unnameable force until with a blinding flash they combined. Two becoming One for all eternity. The song ended.  
  
Or, at least, that's how it should have been. Brady watched in horror, though, as the One star was split, torn apart into two incomplete halves. The halves thrown to the opposite ends of the universe. Doomed to spend eternity looking for their other half. Brady was amazed to find tears running down his cheeks. It was the story of his soul, looking for his lost soulmate.  
  
His vision returned to normal and he looked again at the sky, at the millions of stars. They began to swirl together until they formed two separate circles of swirling blue. Brady looked into the luminous, sparkling, blue orbs and heard a voice in his head.  
  
It was a voice he had known since before memory. The voice of his other half, his soulmate.  
  
"Brady," Chloe's voice rang out.  
  
"Brady, I need you. Please save me."  
  
And then a piercing scream ripped his dream apart. 


	31. Chapter Thirty

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 30  
  
Brady leapt out of bed, nearly squashing Shawn in the process and raced into Belle's room. He took it all in in a second.  
  
The room was pure chaos. John and Marlena were trying to wake Chloe and Belle hung back in a corner, distraught. She cried from sheer helplessness, of watching her best friend in such pain and not able to help. Brady was relieved when Shawn went to comfort her; right now he needed to focus on Chloe.  
  
She was in a ball on the floor crying inconsolably. She had stopped screaming, but it was no relief to Brady. He could take her screams, born from fear, horror. It was her sobs, her cries born from heartbreak, despair, sadness, that killed him.  
  
Every choking sob, every halting cry ripped through his heart. Their connection flared between them - the strongest it had ever been. He actually felt her pain, for her cries spoke directly to his soul. They spoke of pain, grief, rejection, abandonment, of innocence lost.  
  
He heard it all as her soul spoke openly to him; emotions unleashed for the first time ever. He heard it and felt it. His missing half - his soulmate was in pain and calling out for him.  
  
So he answered.  
  
John and Marlena were unsuccessfully trying to wake Chloe. Marlena made mental note of the words she whispered in between her heartrending cries.  
  
"No......don't....please.....don't.  
  
Father."  
  
The last word heard only by Marlena who quickly covered her shock under a mask of calm professionalism.  
  
"We need to calm her. She could injure herself in this state." As if to prove Marlena's point, Chloe spasmed and jerked her head back, hitting it on Belle's dresser. The blow didn't even faze her.  
  
"John, restrain her. I'm going to get a sedative."  
  
"No." Brady answered, his voice surreally distant.  
  
"I want to try."  
  
He got down on the floor in front of her. He wrapped his arms and legs around her in an all encompassing, comforting embrace. His touch immediately had a calming effect on Chloe as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She shivered and shook and sobbed against Brady. He felt the hot tears running down his bare chest.  
  
He held her tightly to him and just loved her. He loved her with everthing he had; and with every ounce of strength he projected that love to her. If he could feel her pain, then maybe she could feel his love, his warmth, his strength. He opened his soul to her, and told her with his emotions what he'd been too afraid to say with words.  
  
Time passed and he continued to hold her closely. Her cries quieted to silent sobs. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Chloe," he called out to her.  
  
"It's okay. You're safe now. I'm here for you. I will always be here for you. No one is ever going to hurt you again."  
  
  
  
"Brady?" she asked, her voice small and weak.  
  
"Yes, it's me." he answered. She looked up at him, confusion in her wide eyes. She was awake.  
  
Marlena was stunned, albeit pleased at the turn of events. According to Craig, they had never been able to wake her before. She made note that it was Brady who was responsible. {He may be instrumental in uncovering the source of her trauma and in the recovery process.}  
  
Marlena gave Chloe a sedative, and Brady placed her back in bed. He lay down beside her and gathered her in his arms. Chloe lay her head on his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat, wrapped up in his warm arms.  
  
She soon drifted off to peaceful sleep. She was back in her country meadow, safe and happy. 


	32. Chapter Thirtyone

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 31  
  
After Chloe had fallen asleep, Brady joined the others downstairs, who were seated around the kitchen table drinking tea to calm their frazzled nerves. Marlena had a tape recorder and notebook out in front of her.  
  
"As you know, I've agreed to begin counseling Chloe. Normally, I would not talk about my patients' cases, but tonight's events have necessitated a different approach. It is obvious Chloe is suffering from some severe emotional trauma. I need to get to the root of it, quickly, before she is irreparably damaged, beyond help.  
  
Time is of the essence here. From what I gathered from Craig and my own observations, her night terrors are getting progressively worse, and everday she withdraws further into herself. I need you to tell me everything that has been happening to Chloe."  
  
One by one they laid it all out for her. The attack and attempted rape, the black out episodes, the phone calls, the flowers, and the locker. Brady recounted for them Chloe's breakdown the night of Phillip's attack. Marlena made special note of the incident and had him describe it several times. She was also interested in the attempted rape, and kept coming back to it.  
  
"And you are sure that nothing happened?" she asked.  
  
"Well, not 100%, but yeah. She was fully clothed, no marks on her - she seemed fine. Shaken up, but fine. They were just dragging her into their van when I pulled up." he explained.  
  
"We've been thinking that all of this was happening because of the attack, like some kind of post traumatic stress. That and Phillip's stalking." Belle said.  
  
"Let's put aside the stalking for the moment. It appears to be incidental at this time. Yes, Chloe has been affected by it, but I don't think it has anything to do with her nightmares. That's kind of an external cause, we're looking for an internal root. Similarly with Saturday night's attack. This is certainly is important, because we know that her first dreams and episode occurred right afterward. But it isn't the cause."  
  
Marlena drifted off into thought. "'Losing time, dark hidden memories taking me back.' Those had been her exact words, Belle?" she asked.  
  
Belle nodded.  
  
"I need to do more research before I can be certain, but it appears to me we are dealing with a case of repressed memories. This is similar to other cases I've dealt with in the past. Something happened to Chloe at some point in her life that was so traumatic that she blocked it out, leaving behind no memories of it. Until Saturday night's attack, which was the trigger, unleashing the memories into her subconscious. She is trying to remember, but at the same time her mind won't let her. So instead, she dreams, only now the dreams are spilling over when she's awake. Causing the black out episodes, which, Belle, you said she described as being like a waking dream."  
  
Marlena paused, thinking of Chloe's rambling words and recalled all her research on repressed memories. She felt certain she knew what the hidden trauma was, but couldn't say until she was sure. She knew the truth would be devastating. She looked at the people around her and focused on her children. She looked at them seriously and slowly spoke.  
  
"If this is indeed the case, and we are dealing with repressed memories, I need you to be prepared. It takes a severe trauma for the mind to block it out. When we find out what happened to her, it may be more than we can bear. But we will have to. We will have to be strong for Chloe, to help her through this.  
  
Tomorrow, I'm going to contact the orphanage and get her file sent to me. I've already set up our first session for tomorrow afternoon. I guess we'll just move from there." she yawned. "We should try to get some sleep." she stood up.  
  
"Marlena, would it be all right if I stayed with Chloe tonight? I want to be there in case she needs me." Brady said. Marlena agreed, realizing that he was the best thing for her right now.  
  
He carefully got in bed beside Chloe. She instinctively rolled into his arms and put her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and soon fell asleep.  
  
They slept peacefully the rest of the night. 


	33. Chapter Thirtytwo

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 32  
  
The next day.  
  
"Dad, you gotta believe me. I love Chloe, I would never do anything to hurt her." Phillip pleaded from behind the cold steel bars of his cell.  
  
"Except for when you yell at her, call her names, and let's not forget - PUT HER IN THE HOSPITAL!" Victor said firmly.  
  
"I can never be sorry enough for that. But these phone calls? threatening notes? her locker? I didn't do it - any of it. You believe me right?"  
  
Victor looked in the eyes of his son. His son, who was so precious to him. His son, who he almost lost last summer and promised to be a better father to. Victor flushed with guilt and shame for having failed Phillip.  
  
"Yes, I believe you son. Which is all the more reason for you to leave town. If you didn't do this, than someone else did. Someone else is after Chloe, and as long as you remain here, nothing will get done about it. Because you'll be blamed for everything that happens, giving the real culprit plenty of freedom to act. But if you remove yourself from the equation, when the harrassment continues, then they'll know it wasn't you and they'll look for the true source. Your presence here in Salem puts Chloe in danger. Besides," Victor added with a small smile, "Brady is going to come after you soon, and I doubt even I could stop him from ripping your head off." Victor said with an attempt at humor.  
  
"Okay, fine. Send me away. That is how you like to handle things. Problem gets too big - get rid of it." Phillip accused, turning away from his father.  
  
"I'm not sending you away. I'm coming with you. Your mother and I, we're both coming with you." Victor said gently.  
  
Phillip spun around in surprise. "what?"  
  
"When we almost lost you this summer, Kate and I promised to be there for you - to be a family again. We failed and now you're paying the price. We weren't there for you before, but we're here now. The three of us are going to take an extended vacation, in Greece, and work on being a family again."  
  
This was too much to believe. "What about Titan?"  
  
"I trust Nicole and Austin to keep things running here. Right now, you are the most important thing in my life - nothing else matters. I've hired the best therapists - we're going to get you through this."  
  
Phillip was too moved to speak. He hugged his father from behind the bars of his cell and let his tears flow down his cheek.  
  
A short time later…  
  
"They did WHAT?!" Brady's angry voice exploded in the penthouse.  
  
John tried to calm his son, even as he understood Brady's anger, his frustration. "They had no choice, son. They had to release Phillip. There just wasn't any evidence."  
  
"No evidence?!"  
  
"None to connect Phillip with the crimes."  
  
"Well, who ELSE would do this?"  
  
"I agree he has the motive, but it isn't enough to convict. Plain and simple, we can't prove that Phillip did any of it." John explained.  
  
"What about the phone calls?"  
  
"They were traced to pay phones around town."  
  
"Ok. Wait, the flowers. Who ordered them?" Brady asked, desperate to find anything to pin on Phillip.  
  
"They were ordered anonymously and the person paid in cash. And no one at the shop remembered seeing Phillip, although they do admit that it had been busy that day."  
  
"What about the note with the flowers - Surely a note like that would have gotten SOMEONE'S attention?"  
  
"Apparently, he asked for a blank card, and typed it himself. And no, there are no fingerprints on the card, or on her locker, or on anything in it. Face it, Phillip thought of everything." John exhaled slowly.  
  
Brady laughed harshly. "Yeah, that's the part that makes the least sense. We're talking about Phillip 'I'm a dumbass' Kiriakis here. When did he become a criminal mastermind?"  
  
"I'm guessing about the same time he became a crazed, obsessive, abusive lunatic. Look, I've seen it enough times with Marlena's patients to know that that kind of insane, out of control obsession changes people. It makes them think and do things they normally wouldn't. Hell, we could be dealing with a split personality or something."  
  
"All the more reason to keep him locked up, don't you think?!" Brady sighed deeply. "So that's it? Victor flashes his money once again and the son of a bitch walks. And Chloe's what - sh*t out of luck?......No. He is NOT going to get away with this." Brady moved toward the door, a hard set to his jaw.  
  
John swiftly blocked him. "I understand you're angry.."  
  
"You understand?! No. I DON'T think you do. Do you KNOW what was in her locker, what that bastard promised to do to her?"  
  
"Brady.."  
  
"Tell me, Dad. Tell me that if our positions were reversed, that you wouldn't go after the man responsible. Tell me, that if it was Marlena being threatened, that you wouldn't do everything in your power to stop it, to protect her."  
  
John was silent, unable to answer.  
  
"I thought so." Brady said quietly and left.  
  
John sighed inwardly. {Thank God they've already left.} 


	34. Chapter Thirtythree

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 33  
  
A couple of hours later...  
  
John was reading the business section of the newspaper when he heard the front door slam.  
  
Brady stomped into the living room.  
  
"Feel better?" John inquired sarcastically.  
  
Brady glared at him. "You know, you could have told me that they left the country." he said wryly.  
  
"That's funny. I don't recall you giving me a chance." John countered.  
  
"Well, Chloe will be relieved to know Phillip's gone. She can focus on getting better." Brady said thoughtfully.  
  
"Speaking of which, I believe she's in her session with Marlena right now. I wonder how it's going?"  
  
"Probably not very well, if I know Chloe. She's not the most open person, especially about her past." Brady remarked.  
  
  
  
And indeed it wasn't going well.  
  
Chloe sat on Marlena's office couch, legs crossed, arms crossed and a look that screamed I DO NOT WANT TO BE HERE!  
  
Marlena resisted the urge to groan. They hadn't even started yet and she already knew that this wouldn't be easy. {They never are.} she reminded herself.  
  
She had spent the entire morning preparing for the session, even canceling appointments to do so. There was too much at stake here; she couldn't afford to make a mistake.  
  
Most of Marlena's patients get counseling for behavioral or personality disorders. They function fine day-to-day, but usually have a few issues like low self esteem or feelings of inadequacy that they want to resolve.  
  
It had been a long time since Marlena had a case like Chloe. Her first job as a psychiatrist had been at a mental facility for troubled young girls. Marlena noted that most of the girls had suffered childhood sexual abuse. In preparation for Chloe's session, she had reviewed her notes from the facility over and over. She also reviewed all her research on sexual traumas and repressed memories.  
  
Marlena replayed last night's events in her mind. Chloe's whispered words, the information Brady had shared with them. Unfortunately, Chloe's past was still pretty much a mystery, and until she got the information from the orphanage, she would have to get her answers from Chloe.  
  
She flashed Chloe a reassuring smile and kicked into therapist mode. She kept her voice calm and even, speaking softly. She adopted a relaxed, non- threatening posture and addressed Chloe.  
  
"I know that this is very difficult for you. You're a very private, independant person. It is hard for you to depend on others, because you pretty much had to raise yourself. Am I right?"  
  
Chloe gave a slight nod.  
  
"But, it is different now. You have friends and family here who love you and care about you. You will not go through this alone. We are all here for you."  
  
Despite herself, Chloe found herself relaxing. {Hmph, I am getting soft. Or maybe I'm just tired of hiding.}  
  
"Ok. What do you want to know?" Chloe asked simply.  
  
Marlena began the session with a few simple starter questions designed to relax Chloe and get her talking. She asked about her dreams and her love of music. Chloe recalled her happy childhood before her adoptive parents died; how there was always beautiful music in the house, the first time she saw opera performed.  
  
Chloe's eyes sparkled, her face smiling as she told stories of her younger years. "It was those memories that got me through the tough times. My love of music was all I had to hold onto - all I had left of my father. When times got rough, I would kind of escape in my mind and go back to when I was little, sitting in my father's lap, seeing Carmen for the first time. Those memories just became my place of refuge."  
  
Marlena nodded sympathetically. {'Tough times' Now, I have a place to start from.} "Tell me about the orphanage."  
  
Marlena sensed Chloe tense, and her earlier carefree manner was replaced by the typical Chloe attitude. But this did not faze Marlena. She recognized Chloe's attitude as a defense mechanism, a means of keeping people away.  
  
Marlena waited for a response. "Chloe?" she prompted gently.  
  
Chloe shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "Oh, it was just your basic 'Lord of the Flies' experiment gone horribly wrong." she said dryly.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, you know how at Salem High, there are the popular kids like Jan and Jason. They pretty much run the school and make life miserable for anyone they don't like. Which is pretty much everybody. Well, imagine living at the school, 24-7. And the Jans and Jasons are much worse because at least the real Jan has a family. They may not be great, but she has parents. The kids at the orphanage don't. Most of them grew up there and had long ago given up hope for adoption. In fact, after a certain point they push away people who try to care about them."  
  
"Like you do with Nancy." Marlena interjected thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah." she said quietly.  
  
"Why do you think that is?" Marlena asked. She of course, already knew the answer. She had done a great deal of study on the psychological make-up of orphans. Orphans have a hard time loving and accepting love from others. There is always the fear that they will be abandoned again. So they use anger and bitterness to push people away.  
  
Chloe thought for a long time and then spoke slowly. "By the time I was ten, I had already been abandoned twice. I wound up going through ten foster homes in the next four years. Everytime I began to hope that maybe this time, I'd find a family who wanted me, who could love me - they'd send me back to the orphanage. It was always the same story - We're looking for a child who's younger, loving, more outgoing, normal."  
  
Chloe paused and inhaled deeply before continuing. "So years of this go by and out of the blue, my mother, my birth mother, the same birth mother who abandoned me in the first place, shows up to take me home so we can be a real family. Excuse me while I vomit. That's what I want to do everytime she's all over me with her i love you's. True, it's not so bad now. I'm kind of used to her, and I even - love her. But I still can't forget that 17 years ago, she threw me away because it wasn't convenient for her to raise me. I guess there's still a part of me that wonders if she'll do it again.  
  
I've always lived like I had one foot out the door - always ready to move on to the next place. Coming here was the same. Salem was just a stopping point on the way to something better. I didn't expect to find friends and family. I certainly didn't expect to find love." Chloe fell silent, pondering how far she'd come in such a short time.  
  
"So, getting back to the kids at the orphanage. In a word, they were screwed up. And when you're that screwed up, the only way to make yourself feel better is to make someone else feel worse. So all kinds of wonderful tormenting took place, not so much to me, but it happened. And the boys - they were the worst."  
  
Marlena waited quietly for Chloe to continue.  
  
"It's amazing the things we take for granted. Like being able to take a bath whenever you want for as long as you want without having to worry about 'accidents'."  
  
"Accidents?"  
  
"You know, you're getting out of the tub and 'Oops, I'm so sorry, I didn't know there was anyone in here.' the teenage boy says who is taking his sweet time in turning around to leave as he leers at my body. I'm not blind. I see the way men look at me. I've been dealing with it for a long time. When I wore dark, heavy clothes, it wasn't because I was shy, or because I thought I was ugly. I was trying to hide. And it worked at the orphanage. The boys left me alone, and it even created a mystique about me. I was the weird girl, who listens to weird music while I practice the dark arts. It even followed me here. Ghoul girl. Like that bothers me? These are the same geniuses who came up with Gigantor and Shy girl. The only thing worse than being picked on in the first place is being picked on by morons. Those punks wouldn't last a day in an orphanage."  
  
Chloe laughed at the thought.  
  
"I guess the Last Blast must have brought back painful memories for you."  
  
"Seeing my naked body displayed in front of the entire school? Yeah. At the orphanage, I soon learned to take my showers at 3 am, when no one else was up. And even then, I was in and out. Three minutes flat. I had it down to a science."  
  
"Three A.M.? Wasn't it hard to get up then?"  
  
"No, I was already up. I had insomnia. Still do, actually, just not as bad. I'm kind of used to functioning without sleep."  
  
Marlena mulled over this new bit of information. Insomnia was often an indication of sexual trauma. The victims are too afraid to sleep soundly, always alert for a possible attack. Of course the reasons for the insomnia are usually buried in the victim's subconscious, so they are unaware of it.  
  
"Tell me about the foster homes."  
  
"Well, like I said there were a lot of them. I don't think I stayed anywhere more than four months. Most of them were okay, some were not." Chloe trailed off.  
  
"What do you mean." Marlena asked gently.  
  
Chloe inhaled a shaky breath. This was the one topic she had been avoiding. But she had already revealed so much, she knew she had to keep going. "Let's just say that Wednesday night wasn't the first time I've ever been hit. It didn't happen too often because I learned how to avoid it. I learned to just agree with them and do whatever they said. I was thirteen by this time and my will was just broken by everything that had happened previously. I just couldn't fight anymore.  
  
I remember the first time it happened. My adoptive parents never hit me; they never spanked me. It just wasn't how they chose to punish. They preferred to talk with me and take away toys and privileges. So when suddenly my drunk foster father is yelling at me for some reason I can't even remember now, and hitting me with his fist, I thought that I must have done something really bad to deserve it. That's why I let them hurt me, and I never told anyone. I never thought that it might be something wrong with them. I thought it was me.  
  
I know better now, of course. And like I said, it didn't happen too often. Whenever the beatings got really bad, then a social worker would pull me out, and I'd move on to the next home."  
  
Marlena knew that Chloe was downplaying the abuse. She decided not to call her on it. There was no point in opening old wounds, when these aren't the wounds she's looking for. They could always deal with the physical abuse later.  
  
Marlena took a sip of coffee and tried to form a time line of events in her mind. "So, help get this straight. Your mom, Nancy, gives you up at birth. Shortly after you are adopted by the people you came to know as your parents. They died when you were ten. Did you stay at the orphanage first, or go into foster care?"  
  
"I stayed at the orphanage for a few weeks, but then I went into foster care. It was pretty much back to back foster homes, with a few exceptions where I was at the orphanage for awhile. Then, when I was fifteen, I went to stay at the orphanage permanently. Well, for the next few months until Nancy came for me. No, wait. Before the orphanage there was the hospital."  
  
That grabbed Marlena's interest. "What were you doing at a hospital?" she asked calmly.  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
{Bingo!} "Tell me what you remember." She prompted gently. Marlena instinctively felt that this was important.  
  
"Basically, one day I'm at the orphanage, getting ready to go to another foster home, and then I wake up in the hospital 7 months later, and I can't remember a thing in between. Mrs. Spenser, the counselor at the orphanage told me that I had had some kind of accident and gone into a coma. But I don't know if that really happened."  
  
"Why do you don't you believe her?"  
  
"Everyone, the doctors and the social workers and Mrs Spenser, were very secretive about the whole thing. I felt like there was something important that they weren't telling me. But I soon forgot about it until Belle's coma. Maybe, as a member of the hospital staff you could help me with something?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"When Belle was in her coma, she had a regular room in the critical care unit and she was hooked up to all kinds of machines, even though she had been out for a while. Is that standard procedure for a coma patient?"  
  
"Yes. I can't be 100 % positive, but I can't imagine any circumstance where we wouldn't follow that procedure. Why?"  
  
"When I came out of my 'coma'. There were no instruments of any kind around. No doctors or nurses. In fact, the first person I talked to was a psychiatrist. You see, I was in the mental ward."  
  
Marlena froze and looked at her. Chloe continued.  
  
"I saw all kinds of therapists. They kept asking me what I remembered. They seemed to be shocked that I couldn't remember the last 7 months. It wasn't until much later that they told me the coma story. They kept so much from me, at times it felt like a massive conspiracy. No matter what Chloe can't know what happened while she was in her 'coma'. I remember I got a lot more attention from the adults at the orphanage. I was placed in a separate room, near the counselors' wing. And shortly after that, Nancy came. Is it just me, or does that seem odd?"  
  
"And you still don't remember anything about those months?"  
  
"No. You don't think I was in a coma, do you?"  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I don't either. We've covered a great deal today, and I don't want to wear you out. I want you to enjoy the rest of the day, okay? Go out, have fun, and get plenty of rest tonight. We'll start again tomorrow."  
  
"Thanks, Dr. Evans." Chloe said sheepishly and left the office leaving Marlena deep in thought.  
  
{I need to find out more about this coma. I need the Chloe's file from the orphanage.} 


	35. Chapter Thirtyfour

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 34  
  
Nancy opened her mailbox. "Look at all these bills." she muttered. A letter snagged her interest. It was addressed to Chloe. Nancy noticed that it had been forwarded by the orphanage. She was going to take a closer look at the envelope when the phone rang. She dumped the stack of mail on the corner table and went the answer the phone, the strange letter gone from her mind. Chloe's letter teetered precariously for a second on top of the unbalanced stack and then fell to the floor beside the couch, unnoticed and forgotten.  
  
  
  
Elsewhere…  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"Dinner."  
  
"You have GOT to be kidding me."  
  
"What?"  
  
Chloe looked disdainfully at the plate Brady had fixed for her. A giant hotdog topped with mustard, onions, chili and coleslaw with chips and a pickle on the side.  
  
"I am not eating this."  
  
"PLEASE tell me we aren't going to go through THAT again! Just trust me. You're gonna love it." Brady said.  
  
"A hotdog?"  
  
"Relax. It's a turkey dog, turkey chili. I even used wheat buns. Which means it's totally gonna suck, but you have to be picky." Brady joked.  
  
"Coleslaw, huh. You going for hotdog nirvana?"  
  
"You know it. So, are you going to eat? Or are you going to make me feed you?" Brady grinned wickedly, picking up the hotdog.  
  
Chloe looked at him for a long second with a mischievious glint in her blue eyes. She then slowly opened her mouth and formed a perfect O with her full lips.  
  
Brady grinned and accepted the invitation. He put the hotdog to her lips and with deliberate, agonizing slowness, pushed it forward into her mouth.  
  
"MMMMMMM" Chloe moaned as she tasted the first bite. She chewed slowly, savoring all the different flavors. Brady grinned to see her enjoying herself.  
  
"Once again, Heaven. You do know your food, Mr. Black."  
  
"Here, you got a little mustard..." he leaned forward and gently wiped the mustard away from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. Chloe watched him lick the mustard off his thumb. {Is it hot in here?} She finished the rest without any further assistance from Brady.  
  
"Thanks for making me dinner, Brady. That was just what I needed after today."  
  
"How was your session?"  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Looong. Painful. I don't really want to talk about it. I've done enough talking for one day."  
  
"Right, we're here because Marlena wants you to have fun this evening. Doctor's orders."  
  
"So, what are we going to do?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Well, we never did get to see our movie."  
  
"Yeah, hard to believe that wasn't even two weeks ago. So much has happened since then. I still can't believe Phillip's gone. Just like that. Poof."  
  
"How does that make you feel?" Brady asked seriously.  
  
"Well, obviously, I'm relieved. But, I feel kind of weird. He was such an important part of my life for so long and now he's gone. I should be sad, but I'm not. I don't feel anything. Is that horrible?"  
  
"No, it just proves what I've been telling you all along. You never really loved him."  
  
"No, I didn't. Not the way I..." she cut off suddenly. She just couldn't say it yet.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing. So, movie?" she changed the subject quickly.  
  
  
  
They sat alone in the darkened theater enjoying the movie. Chloe kept stealing glances at Brady during the movie. He looked at her.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing." she smiled. She lay her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her. They stayed like that for the rest of the movie.  
  
After the movie, they strolled through Salem Park, hand in hand, fingers laced. Chloe stopped and leaned her head back to look at the stars. They both stood there looking at the sky, letting the peace of the winter night flow through them.  
  
Chloe snapped her head down suddenly and looked around quickly.  
  
"What is it?" Brady asked, at once protective of her. Her eyes were wide with fear. She kept turning her head and looking around. He put his arms around her shoulders.  
  
"Chloe, what is it?" he asked. He couldn't see anything.  
  
Chloe exhaled deeply and relaxed. "It's nothing. For a second there, I thought someone was watching me. But it's gone now. I guess I'm still jumpy from Phillip's stalking. But he's gone now and it's over. No more phone calls - nothing. I can relax."  
  
She looked up at Brady and their eyes locked. Chloe was bewildered by the myriad of emotions flowing through her. She broke contact and looked away from him.  
  
They walked in silence for a long time when Chloe spoke softly. "Brady, I'm in a very weird place right now. I'm emotional and vulnerable..." she trailed off.  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I could very easily fall for you. So, if you don't feel the same way, if we are 'just friends', let me know now." She said hastily and averted her eyes.  
  
Brady looked her gently in the eyes. "Don't you know how I feel? Can't you feel it?" he asked earnestly, love shining in his blue eyes.  
  
She nodded, smiling. "I do feel it. I was just afraid that I was wrong - afraid of making a mistake and losing you. I can't lose you, Brady."  
  
"And I've already told you that you never could. I love you, Chloe."  
  
She was at once happy and scared. Other people had told her they loved her, and then hurt her. She wanted to say the words, but there was a block in her mind. She just couldn't get past it. She sighed deeply.  
  
"I care about you too, even if I can't say it yet. Brady, you are the most important person in my life. But, I'm also not ready for a relationship yet." she told him, begging him with her eyes to understand.  
  
She should have known he would.  
  
"Of course not! You are going through too much right now. Listen, your primary focus is getting better."  
  
"Will you wait for me?" she asked with a small voice, tears brimming her eyes.  
  
Brady smiled. "I've already waited for a lifetime to find you. I can wait a little longer. Face it, you're stuck with me."  
  
She hugged him deeply. She felt so happy. They continued walking through the park, enjoying the cool, winter air and watching the snow sparkle on the ground.  
  
Brady spoke up. "By the way, Tuscany's is having their Christmas Ball Friday evening. Would you like to go with me? As friends, of course." he asked, eyes sparkling.  
  
She smiled up at him. "I'd like that." 


	36. Chapter Thirtyfive

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 35  
  
Friday morning.  
  
Marlena slammed the phone down in frustration.  
  
"AAAARGH!" she screamed.  
  
There was a knock on her office door.  
  
"Come in!" she barked. She softened when she saw who it was.  
  
John looked startled. "I can come back later, if you want."  
  
She smiled wickedly. "Oh, no. You come over here." After a few minutes of deliriously wonderful kissing, Marlena was completely relaxed.  
  
"So, what has you so upset?" John asked.  
  
"Oh, just problems with Chloe's case. The orphanage is giving me the run around regarding her personal file. First, they needed Chloe's permission to send it to me. Then I had to send them a copy of my license to prove I am a licensed therapist. And of course, they can't email the file to me because they don't have a computer. And they can't fax it to me because they don't have a fax machine. They finally agreed to FedEx it. I just now was able to confirm that it is on its way."  
  
"I guess the file is really important." he said.  
  
"Yes, it is. Unfortunately, I've hit a brick wall in Chloe's case. We've had four sessions now, and she has told me all she knows - many times. I've gone over everything very carefully. But nothing so far explains the dreams and black outs. The answers I'm looking for lie in a period of time when Chloe was supposedly in a coma. I need the file to find out what really happened."  
  
"Of course," she added slowly, hesitantly, "there is one other option. Hypnosis."  
  
"Hypnosis? Isn't that a little.."  
  
"Risky, dangerous and possibly traumatic? Yes. But the gains far outweigh the risks. It is the only solution. Even if I had the file, I would know what happened, but Chloe still wouldn't necessarily remember. Hypnosis is the best way to uncover these memories and bring them to the surface."  
  
"But it could be dangerous."  
  
"Yes. There are always risks when you're dealing with memories that have been repressed this long. Sometimes the mind can't handle the sudden flow of memory - memory overload - and the mind shuts down. But what are my alternatives? Chloe's nightterrors are getting worse and even the sedative she is on has lost its effectiveness. She needs help, now. I'm going to consult with both Chloe and Craig today on the hypnosis before I decide anything. If I get their approval, I may begin tomorrow with the hypnosis."  
  
She hugged John tightly. "I am so looking forward to tonight's ball."  
  
"I believe Brady is taking Chloe. That will be good for her. They've been spending a lot of time together lately. Practically inseparable."  
  
"Speaking of Brady, I know I don't have to tell you not to tell him or anyone what I've shared with you. I could lose my license for just what I've told you. I'm only doing it because we all know Chloe and care about her, and I need feedback and support from everyone to get her through this."  
  
"Well, if you do lose your license, then I'll just have to support you." John grinned.  
  
"Oh, you will? Just remember I'm used to a certain standard of living. I'd be upset if we had to move."  
  
John chuckled. "I guess that means I better get Basic Black up and running."  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
"I can't believe you waited until the last minute to buy a dress for the Ball." Belle said while sorting through the racks at Ballistix.  
  
"It's not last minute, we have hours before the Ball starts. Besides, Brady only asked me a few days ago and with Marlena's marathon sessions, I haven't had time to get a dress." Chloe replied. "I suppose I could go with somthing I have. But I want to wear something new. A new dress for a new start."  
  
"A new start?" Belle asked. She held up a little red number for Chloe.  
  
Chloe shook her head. "Too Phillip-y. Yeah, now that I finally kicked Phillip out of my life and started therapy, I feel like - well, remember when I told you that life had gotten off track for me? Well, now it's back on track. I know I'm headed in the right direction. It's a great feeling."  
  
"Does Brady have anything to do with this new start?" Belle inquired with an innocent expression on her face. Belle grinned to see Chloe blush.  
  
"Yes. Brady and I have talked... about us. He told me he loved me." Chloe smiled, remembering.  
  
Belle jumped up and down. "He did?!" she squealed. "That's great! How did you feel?"  
  
Chloe smiled wistfully. "It was the most wonderful thing I'd ever heard. It just felt, I don't know, right. I can't describe it." she trailed off.  
  
Belle smiled dreamily. "I know the feeling."  
  
"Well, we aren't in an official relationship or anything. I have to work through this other stuff first."  
  
They both continued rummaging through the racks and racks of dresses. Chloe stopped and frowned slightly. She felt a pair of eyes burning into her. She stole a quick glance around the crowded store, but saw nothing suspicious. She shrugged and went back to scavenging.  
  
Belle had already bought her dress days ago, but in the belief that you can never have too many clothes, she was shopping for herself as well. She held up a blue dress for Chloe. "How's this?"  
  
"Too short."  
  
Belle looked at Chloe's long, tall figure and replied with just a hint of uncharacteristic envy, "Yeah, I guess on you it would be. Anyway, back to topic. How are you dealing with the other stuff?" She was still very worried about her best friend. She hadn't been able to forget Chloe's breakdown Monday night. It still shook her up to think of Chloe looking like that, like a broken doll. Belle noticed that Chloe still looked tired.  
  
"Well, the sedatives I'm on are helping, at least I think they are. Craig and Nancy at least look like they've been able to sleep. So that's good. I feel really bad about what I'm putting them through. And Nancy's been really great. Not smothery or overbearing. She's actually been giving me space. Of course that's probably because Craig and Marlena told her to." Chloe chuckled.  
  
"How are the sessions?"  
  
"Not too bad. It's still hard for me to talk about... things, but your mom makes it easy. I guess she knows what she's doing." Chloe replied with a small smile. "I think she's frustrated by something - we've been going over the same stuff over and over - but still haven't found the reasons for my nightmares." Chloe paused and looked at Belle. "Tomorrow we're going to try hypnosis."  
  
"Hypnosis?"  
  
"Yeah, I know. I hear the word and think of lame lounge acts and people clucking like chickens. But apparently, this is serious. It could be dangerous."  
  
Belle noticed Chloe's apprehension. "Don't worry. My mom has done this many times. In fact, a couple of years ago, Mom hypnotized Hope so she could remember her time as Princess Gina. Of course, she turned out to be Princess Gina pretending to be Hope." She saw Chloe's confusion. "Don't ask. You really don't want to know."  
  
"Anyway, I want to forget about tomorrow and just concentrate on tonight." Chloe said. Her eyes lit up as she grabbed a dress. The dress.  
  
Belle sighed contentedly. "I can't tell you how happy I am! My best friend and my big brother! I know you two aren't together-together, but promise me one thing, okay?" she asked, at once serious.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Whatever you guys do, don't tell me about it. You and my brother doin' stuff? NOT something I need to know, okay?"  
  
"No problem." Chloe laughed.  
  
The girls went and got in line so they could pay for their dresses. As they stood in the slow moving line, Belle noticed a troubled look on Chloe's face. Chloe took a couple of quick glances around the store.  
  
"Chloe, what is it?"  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. For the last few days, I've had this nagging feeling that someone is following me around. The pictures Phillip took of me just have me jumpy, that's all. The idea of him following me, taking pictures - it's really unsettling - and I guess I'm having a hard time letting go of it, even though he's gone."  
  
"And nothing else has happened, right? No phone calls or anything?"  
  
"Nothing." Chloe saw that Belle was deep in concentration. "What is it?"  
  
"I was just thinking of last summer, before we left on our trip. You thought that someone had been following us around. That person turned out to be Paul Mendez."  
  
"The crazed jewel thief who tried to kill you guys."  
  
"Right. That was the worst experience of my entire life and I can't help but think that if we had listened to you in the first place, then we could have avoided the whole thing." She inhaled deeply, pushing aside the pain of the past. "All I'm saying, is I've learned to trust your instincts. If you feel that someone is stalking you, then maybe it's because they are."  
  
Chloe shook her head in denial. She couldn't accept that possibility. "No. Phillip's in Greece. Brady talked to Victor just yesterday and confirmed it. He's gone!" Chloe said with conviction.  
  
Belle paused for a moment. Her voice was deadly quiet.  
  
"Maybe the stalker isn't Phillip." 


	37. Chapter Thirtysix

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 36  
  
Chloe's blood turned to ice and she shivered involuntarily. She drew a shaky breath.  
  
"What?"  
  
Belle explained. "Think about it. We've been thinking that Phillip was behind everything because the phone calls started right after you broke up with him. And we had seen enough of his obsessive, abusive behavior to know that he was capable of it. But what if we were wrong? What if the two things have nothing to do with each other? What if, by sheer coincidence, they just happened to occur at the same time? Or..." Belle broke off as a new idea suddenly occurred to her. She spoke slowly as she thought outloud.  
  
"What if it wasn't coincidence? This person who has been stalking you, has been watching you for awhile and knew that you were getting ready to break up with Phillip. He planned everything so that Phillip would be blamed. And now that Phillip's gone - he's laying low, lulling you into a false sense of security before he strikes." Belle finished softly.  
  
Chloe looked at Belle - her heart pounding erratically in her chest. She struggled to catch her breath and her knees were weak.  
  
"No." she said shakily. "It HAS to be Phillip. Who else would do this to me?" she cried.  
  
Belle bit her lip before continuing. She hated what she was thinking, but she had to say it. Chloe's life could be in real danger.  
  
"Chloe, your naked body was displayed on the internet for the entire world to see. We both know that there are all kinds of sick predators who use the net to prey on young girls. What if somebody came across your pictures and, for whatever reason, developed an obsession for you? It wouldn't have been too difficult to track you down, not for a half-decent hacker. I mean, Shawn is hardly a computer geek, and yet it took him no time at all to hack into the site and find out that Mimi set it up. And in order to set up that web account, she had to use personal information, like what town she lived in. Probably once the stalker came here, he found out what school she went to and used the school records to find out about you. Think of all the information that is stored in those records; names, addresses, phone numbers. Even our locker numbers and combinations are in those files. The person stalking you doesn't have to be someone you know."  
  
Chloe just stood there, racking her brain trying to find something to disprove Belle's theory. It was just too horrifying to be true. "The phone calls - he said he missed me, that I would be his again, that I tried to get rid of him. It HAS to be someone I know. It has to be Phillip." She stated emphatically.  
  
Belle shook her head slowly. She hated doing this to Chloe. "Chloe, my mom herself will tell you that people with obsessive disorders create all kinds of things in their heads. He probably saw your picture and built up this history with you in his mind. Like you two had this great love affair, but you betrayed him and left and now he's come to take you back."  
  
Tears were now clearly visible in Chloe's eyes. "But... but I recognized his voice." she pleaded.  
  
Belle spoke gently. "Chloe, you said he disguised his voice, remember? You heard Phillip's voice because you wanted to, because you had already told yourself that it was Phillip."  
  
Belle continued, her voice thick, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "G*d, Chloe, I want to be wrong. I wish it had been Phillip. That's why I didn't say anything before now. I was hoping against hope that when Phillip left that everything would stop. And maybe it has. Maybe you are just jumpy and imagining things. But, Chloe. Promise me something anyway."  
  
Chloe nodded, unable to speak for her sudden fear.  
  
Belle looked Chloe in the eyes and spoke firmly. "Promise me, no matter what, that you won't go ANYWHERE alone. Not even to my house. Let Brady pick you up, or call me and I'll walk to your house. And don't let yourself be alone in the house either. If Nancy and Craig are gone, call Brady or myself and we'll be over in a flash. This is important Chloe. You are my best friend, but as much as I love you, I love my brother more. Brady would be devastated if anything ever happened to you. So promise me, okay? Just for a little while, until these feelings of yours go away."  
  
Chloe's voice was small and weak. "I promise."  
  
"Good. Listen, I'm going to fill my dad and Brady in on this conversation. See if they have any ideas on how to find out who this guy is, if in fact it's not Phillip."  
  
"Okay." Chloe sounded so far away.  
  
"Look, Chloe. I'm probably wrong and in anycase, you'll be safe as long as you do as I say. You have so many people who care about you and who are looking out for you. You aren't alone. I'll tell Shawn and then you'll have Bo watching out for you - and he's a cop! And you know Brady will NEVER let anything happen to you. He saved you before, he'll do it again. He's a hero." she stated with unwavering faith in her big brother.  
  
Chloe calmed down and allowed herself to relax, remembering how Brady had always managed to come to her rescue. Her eyes clouded over. "He kicks major butt." she said with a small smile.  
  
"He certainly does." Belle answered, not understanding the reference. "Anyway, no more of this. Tonight's going to be wonderful!" Belle exclaimed with her usual optimism.  
  
They paid for their dresses. (man, that was a slow moving line!) and went to exit the store. Chloe wasn't paying attention to where she was going and so collided with a tall man.  
  
"Oh! Excuse me. I'm so sorry." she cried.  
  
"That's quite all right, miss." he returned and walked away.  
  
"Geez, Chloe watch where you're going!" Belle teased.  
  
"Chloe?"  
  
Chloe was standing still, back stiff as a board. Eyes staring blankly out in front of her.  
  
Belle immediately recognized that look. She walked Chloe out of the store and into a secluded area of Salem Place. She sat her down at a bench and tried to bring her out of her trance.  
  
"Chloe!" she called. "Chloe!"  
  
But there was no response.  
  
  
  
"That's quite all right, miss." The words echoed through her mind. That was the Voice. The Voice that had haunted her dreams ever since her first phone call. It was the same Voice, in person, and not muffled, but still the same.  
  
Chloe stood in a long hallway of an old house. She was lost in the murky grey depths of darkness. Shadows flickered along the walls; dead objects appeared alive and moving. She walked down the hallway toward the old door at the end. The hallway lengthened in front of her, teasing her as if to say, you'll never make it! She kept walking, though, pace steady. She eventually reached the door and stood in front of it. She could hear voices on the other side.  
  
She opened the door with a small creak.  
  
"No,.... please don't....please." She heard herself beg. She suddenly found herself lying in bed, being crushed by a heavy weight.  
  
"I love you, my sweet little Chloe." the Voice grunted in her ear. Hot, sweaty, panting breath on her neck.  
  
"Be a good girl, and let Father show you how much he loves you."  
  
She couldn't answer, immobilized by choking panic and despair. She closed her eyes to escape.  
  
And then a searing pain ripped through her.  
  
  
  
Craig shined a flashlight in Chloe's eyes. "Her pupils are dilated. Still no response."  
  
Chloe sat on the couch in the Wesleys' living room and stared in front of her. She had been like this for 30 minutes now and Craig was beginning to worry.  
  
When Belle had been unable to bring Chloe out of her daze, she immediately called Brady. His heart raced as fast as his jeep on the way to Salem Place. He too had tried to bring her out of it, but failed. He wondered in frustration why it wasn't working. He had been able to reach her before.  
  
He called Dr. Wesley, who had just gotten home to get ready for the Ball. Craig told Brady to bring Chloe there. Everything he had tried failed and Chloe continued to sit, unresponsive to any outside stimulus.  
  
He was just about to call Marlena when Chloe blinked her eyes and looked around, startled.  
  
"Chloe!" they all cried in relief.  
  
"How did we get here?" she asked, still somewhat dazed. Her eyes grew wide and filled with tears. Her lips trembled as she spoke. "It happened again, didn't it?" Brady pulled her to him and enveloped her in a close embrace. He held her for a few minutes while she tried to calm down.  
  
"What do you remember?" Craig asked.  
  
Chloe pulled away from Brady and looked at Belle. "I remember Belle freaking me out in Ballistix." She said weakly with an attempt at humor.  
  
Belle recounted for them her suspicions and they agreed that it was plausible, even though they didn't want to accept that Chloe might still be in danger.  
  
"But that is a good idea - and I'm making it a rule. Until we know more about what's going on, you are NEVER to be alone. Understand?" Craig told Chloe. Chloe nodded.  
  
"Maybe you should skip the Ball tonight." Brady suggested. Craig nodded in agreement.  
  
"Oh no! You have to let me go! I've been looking forward to it. Tomorrow's going to be hard enough, let me enjoy tonight. Besides, I'll be with Brady, and you and Nancy and the entire town will be there. I'll be perfectly safe. Please?" Chloe begged.  
  
Craig relented with a sigh. He could never refuse her anything. "Okay, but ANYTHING happens and Brady takes you home, got it?"  
  
"Thank you, Craig!" She gave him a deep hug. "Oh no! I've got to get ready! See you later!" She gave Brady a quick hug and flew up the stairs.  
  
"Me too!" Belle said as she pulled on Brady's arm. "Come on Brady - I've only got TWO hours!" Brady chuckled as his sister dragged him out the door.  
  
Craig suddenly found himself alone. {I hope Chloe enjoys herself tonight. Tomorrow's going to be hell.} 


	38. Chapter Thirtyseven

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 37  
  
They entered the restaurant arm in arm.  
  
"Oh, Brady. It's beautiful!" Chloe breathed. Maggie Horton had really outdone herself. Small white christmas lights twinkled everywhere and there must have been thirty trees each decorated in a different theme. The dining tables had been removed to create room for the guests to mingle. Long banquet tables had been set up by the walls and were loaded with amazing Tuscany fare. A small orchestra played in a corner.  
  
"Not as beautiful as you." Brady replied huskily. He grinned and let his eyes flicker briefly over Chloe's figure. She was beautiful. Hell, she was always beautiful. But tonight she was descending from Heaven with angels singing and flowers blooming beautiful.  
  
Her hair had been curled and partially pulled up. The rest had been left free to fall in waves down her back. She wore a long shimmery dress of champagne silk accented with small gold sequins. The dress was held up with spaghetti straps and featured a modest v-neck which displayed a hint of cleavage when she moved. Her skin shimmered and glowed radiantly.  
  
Chloe looked up at Brady, her sapphire eyes twinkling and replied, "You're not so bad yourself, Mr. Black." And indeed he wasn't, in a sleek tuxedo that must have been made exclusively for him.  
  
He smiled down at her, his own blue eyes laughing. "Thank you, milady." he said, brushing the back of her hand lightly with his soft lips. The tender caress sent a surge of electric heat through her arm and her hand tingled for minutes afterward.  
  
They were soon greeted by Maggie. "Brady! Chloe!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I'm so glad you came!"  
  
"We wouldn't miss one of your parties for anything in the world." Brady charmed flirtatiously.  
  
Maggie laughed. "Flatterer! Chloe, honey, you look beautiful. I'm so glad to see you doing better!"  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Horton." Chloe was a little overwhelmed by Maggie's effervescent personality.  
  
"Call me Maggie, dear. Your parents are already here, so go in and have fun!" she beamed at them and then went to check on her other guests.  
  
Brady and Chloe slowly mingled through the crowd, stopping occasionally to chat with a friend or two. Chloe looked out at the ballroom and groaned to see Craig and Nancy making a spectacle of themselves. Brady and Chloe watched as Craig dipped his beautiful wife in an overwhelmingly cute display of affection.  
  
Chloe crinkled her nose. "I can't take them anywhere." she commented wryly.  
  
"That's nothing. Check out the couple in the corner." They saw a couple standing in a dimly lit corner sharing a deep, passionate kiss. Chloe blushed when she saw that it was John and Marlena.  
  
Brady smirked. "Let's go say hi!"  
  
"Brady!" her protest was wasted on him as he dragged her over to the kissing couple. The couple was so engrossed in each other, that they did not notice Brady's approach.  
  
"Dad! Marlena! Hi!" Brady greeted them loudly, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
The startled couple reluctantly broke their kiss. John swore under his breath, while Marlena blushed becomingly and fluttered her eyelashes.  
  
"Brady, Chloe. How nice to see you." John commented, a bemused expression on his face. He turned to Chloe and delicately took her hand in his. "As always, my dear, you are simply breathtaking." he said, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles.  
  
Brady noticed the pinkish glow on Chloe's cheeks. "All right, Dad. Just remember she's my date for the evening, okay?" Brady said as he goodnaturedly swatted his father's chest.  
  
Marlena smiled tenderly at Brady, her heart swelling with pride. {He's grown so much; he's so much like his father.} She turned to Chloe. "How are you feeling, Chloe?" she had been concerned by her earlier episode.  
  
Chloe breathed deeply. She linked her arm with Brady's and smiled. "I'm fine now. I just want to enjoy myself tonight." Brady smiled down at her, love visible in his eyes, making them appear bluer and brighter than usual.  
  
John observed the silent interplay between them. "Ah, to be young and in love." he teased.  
  
"Speaking of young love, does anyone know where Belle and Shawn are?" Brady asked.  
  
Marlena gestured across the room to the banquet tables where Belle was stuffing Shawn's mouth with various appetizers.  
  
"If you'll excuse us?" he and Chloe left to greet their friends.  
  
Belle popped another tasty hors d'oeuvre in Shawn's mouth. "Oooh, you gotta try this one!"  
  
"MMMPFGH. Belle, could at least wait for me to chew and swallow before cramming the next one in?"  
  
Belle laughed and shoved in 3 more delectable treats.  
  
"Hey, you two!" they heard Chloe's voice as she and Brady came up to them.  
  
"Brady! Chloe!" Belle exclaimed.  
  
"MMMGHLIENFMMMGHJ" Shawn mumbled.  
  
"Shawn, as always you are the epitome of class." Brady deadpanned.  
  
"Your sister's fault." he replied once he was able to swallow.  
  
"Chloe, you look beautiful..." Belle gushed. Shawn rolled his eyes as the girls fawned over each other. Grabbing Belle's wrist, he whisked her away to the dance floor.  
  
Brady realized he was suddenly alone with his lovely date. A devilish gleam winked in his eyes, a idea forming in his mind. "Close your eyes and open your mouth." he told Chloe.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come on. Trust me." he said silkily.  
  
Chloe closed her eyes and opened her mouth, feeling slightly foolish. Seconds passed when suddenly something made soft contact with her lips. It was rough and bumpy, and was slowly tracing the contours of her mouth. Her stomach lurched and she trembled at the intimate contact.  
  
Brady watched her reaction with dark eyes. His eyes were drawn to her full lips. He wished that it were his lips trailing along her mouth instead of the strawberry he was holding. {This 'friends' thing is going to be very hard.} He sighed and placed the large strawberry between her perfect white teeth. She bit down in surprise and laughed when the juice nearly squirted out of her mouth.  
  
Brady leaned close to her ear and whispered seductively. "You know strawberries are powerful aphrodesiacs." He meant it as a joke, to relieve the sudden tense charge between them. He was blindsided by her reaction.  
  
Her eyes darkened with desire until they were two deep pools of violet blue. Then she smiled, and the moment was gone. She quipped with her usual playfulness, "Maybe you should have one then." She selected a fat, crimson strawberry and dipped it in a thick chocalate sauce. She fed it to him and laughed as he devoured it hungrily, juice running down his chin.  
  
She reached up and wiped it away with her fingertips. They both felt the electric current that rocketed through him at her touch. {We need to end this now.} he thought, and then smiled as the orchestra began playing a familiar melody.  
  
He cocked his eyebrow and bowed slightly. "Miss Lane, may I have this dance?"  
  
She replied in a like manner. "Why, I thought you'd never ask, Mr. Black."  
  
The ballroom was lit entirely by candles. Small white candles glowed everywhere, and if you looked at them just right, they looked almost like stars. As Chloe and Brady danced to "Music of the Night", they stepped out of time and space and left their surroundings behind. For this one eternal moment, the other guests were forgotten. It was just the two of them, dancing in a starlit sky to a melody they knew from long ago.  
  
They danced closer together, aware of every touch. Brady's hand on the small of her back, holding her firmly to him, feeling her heat throught the thin material of her dress. Chloe's arms moved up around his neck, even as his other hand cupped the back of her neck, fingers lost in her hair. Their bodies pressed so close, they were one.  
  
They were lost in each other's eyes, caught up in feelings they didn't understand, emotions they couldn't explain. They only knew that they had felt this way before, a lifetime ago. They surrendered to the moment, as the swelling song carried them to unknown heights, held captive by the melody.  
  
Brady slowly lowered his head, all logic fleeing his brain. She lifted her head, and closed her eyes in surrender. His lips lightly settled on hers, then deepened in a kiss that united them, reunited them for all eternity. They felt it in the core of their souls.  
  
They were One. 


	39. Chapter Thirtyeight

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 38  
  
"Would you look at that." John exclaimed softly. He was standing with his arm close around his wife's waist. Craig and Nancy had just come from the dance floor and were standing nearby trying to catch their breaths. They followed his gaze across the ballroom to where Brady and Chloe were dancing slowly to an unheard melody. The song had ended, but they were still dancing, still kissing.  
  
John looked at them tenderly - at the way they fit together perfectly. Like they were made for each other. A match made in  
  
"Heaven?" a voice laughed in his mind. He was caressed by a gentle breeze carrying a familiar scent. He could feel her presence.  
  
"Izzy B?" he called out to her in his head. John loved Marlena more than life itself, but a part of his heart would always belong to his beloved Isabella. She was ripped out of his life too soon, but not before giving him the greatest gift he could ever receive - his son. Their son.  
  
As they looked out on their son, he spoke to her. "You had a hand in this, didn't you?" More laughter. John closed his eyes, a wistful expression on his face. He had forgotten how lovely her laugh was.  
  
"Thank you, Isabella. Thank you for always watching over him." And then with a rustling breeze, she was gone.  
  
John smiled at Marlena and pulled her close. Nancy spoke between sniffles, "My baby, she's so grown up! And so happy!" The four of them stood there, watching the bittersweet reunion of two old souls, their hearts filled with love and pride.  
  
  
  
Brady and Chloe were unaware of their audience, oblivious to everything around them. There was only this moment, frozen in time. Brady kissed her, reveling in the feel of her soft lips beneath his, unable to believe that this was really happening.  
  
He had waited for this for so long. He had played the friend while she loved another. He had been the shoulder she cried on every time the bastard broke her heart. He had given everything to her time and time again, only to see her go running back to Phillip.  
  
And now, she was in his arms, kissing him back, her fingers dancing across his back, running through his hair. He tightened his arms, pulled her closer, afraid that at any minute she would fly away.  
  
He had not expected this. He knew it would be good, but not like this. Totally unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. His previous kisses had been about two angry, hurt kids trying to ease their pain for a while in a meaningless act. This went beyond the physical, beyond even the emotional. This was spiritual.  
  
Their connection flashed between them, and once again they heard each other's thoughts. Chloe cried, in the overwhelming beauty of the moment, lone tears running down her face. {My love, I found you. I lost you, and now I've found you.} He deepened his kiss, and tenderly wiped away her tears. {I know.} he replied. {I know.} They continued kissing, lost in emotions and sensations that can't be described, joy radiating from them in vibrant waves.  
  
Of course, this beautiful moment wouldn't last. Belle's loud voice brought them back down to earth, back to reality.  
  
"All right, already. Come up for air!"  
  
Brady and Chloe slowly broke away from each other and acknowledged their audience. Belle, Shawn and their parents were coming up to them. Chloe blushed and buried her face in Brady's chest. He hugged her close to him and shot an evil glare at John.  
  
John held up his hands, a feigned expression of innocence on his face. "Hey my son, turn about is fair play." he smirked.  
  
"What?" Belle asked, confused.  
  
"He means, one good turn deserves another, what goes around comes around, you reap what you sow..." Brady continued.  
  
"Okay, I got it." Belle said.  
  
Brady sighed in exasperation. He and Chloe had just reached a new level in their relationship. They needed to talk privately. He took Chloe's hand and led her out onto the balcony.  
  
Taking his jacket off, he placed it around Chloe's bare shoulders. He looked down at her and cupped her face with his hands.  
  
"How do you feel? I know you said you weren't ready for us, and I'm okay with that. I just couldn't help kissing you." He stared into her eyes intensely.  
  
"I feel... No, it's okay. I'm glad you kissed me. It was..." she trailed off, still unable to put into words what she was feeling, what she had just experienced. That strong connecting of their souls had been so beautiful, and so terrifying at the same time. When they had kissed, they had so blended into each other that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. She had felt like she was drowning, losing control. And control was the one thing she always had to have.  
  
Brady understood her unspoken fears, because he felt them too. "I feel the same way. It's scary, being with someone who knows you so well, you can't hide yourself from them. But, at the same time, it can be very freeing. Because you don't have to hide, or pretend with me, unlike with Phillip. I love you for you, not for what I need you to be. That will never change." he told her, looking into her eyes to reassure her.  
  
Her eyes brimmed with tears and she smiled at him. "Can we go slow?" she asked, her voice small. He grinned wickedly at her and whispered, "I like it slow." He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.  
  
They stood for many minutes out on the balcony, under the clear, winter sky. They stood in silence; words were needless, unnecessary for them to share what they were thinking, feeling. They stood for a long time, just enjoying each other's company, enjoying the newness of their relationship.  
  
Softly, the strains of a melody came floating from inside. Brady smiled at his diva. "You know, as much as I love 'Music of the Night', I do believe that this is our song."  
  
"We have a song?"  
  
"Listen." he whispered. The melody could barely be heard. He opened his mouth and sang softly, so softly only she could hear his rich voice.  
  
Her eyes widened with delighted surprise as she recognized "All I Ask of You". She closed her eyes and listened to his beautiful voice as he sang just for her. She responded automatically, when her part came. She didn't think about the notes, or how her mouth was shaped, or her posture. She just felt the song, felt the emotions that Brady brought out in her. Her voice started low, then soared with emotion, filling the air as she let herself go and sang with abandon.  
  
Their voices mixed and blended as they sang, once again forgetting about everything and everyone else, transported by their song to a new realm. Their voices carried inside, and everyone stopped, to hear them sing, wondering if heaven had opened, pouring down it's divine music.  
  
They ended their song and looked deeply in each other's eyes. Chloe then blushed.  
  
"What is it?" Brady asked gently.  
  
"I was thinking of Saturday night in the park. I had asked you what it was like to open yourself up in song, and you said that it was the closest thing to making love." Chloe blushed again and smiled shyly. "I was just thinking that you were right. Not that I have any experience in the other thing, but I imagine that this is what it must be like." She stumbled over her words, embarrassed by the topic.  
  
Brady took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. He rained kisses on her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids. He smiled warmly at her, and they continued standing there in silence.  
  
Unaware of the pair of eyes watching them. "It appears that I must play the phantom to your Christine, Chloe."  
  
  
  
Later, Brady took her home and kissed her goodnight on her front porch. He shook his head in amazement. "I still can't believe this is happening."  
  
"Me neither." She replied, kissing him again.  
  
Up in her room, she undressed and went to bed. Her dreams were filled of the phantom of the night. Brady was saving her from the masked monster who haunted her dreams.  
  
She woke up in the middle of the night, suddenly feeling another presence in her room. She was alone. As she went to get back into bed, her foot collided with an object on the floor.  
  
She picked it up and screamed.  
  
Later…  
  
"He was in my room, he was in my room." Chloe stuttered shakily. She sat shivering in Brady's lap, enveloped by his arms. They were on the couch in the Wesleys' living room. John and Bo were there, along with Craig and Nancy.  
  
When Craig and Nancy first heard Chloe scream, they ran to her room expecting to find her asleep in bed with another nightmare. But she was awake and in shock, muttering over and over 'he was here.' When Craig saw the strange object in her hands, he immediately called Bo. At Chloe's request, they called Brady too, who asked his father to come as well. They were still unsure of what had happened, but they could see that Chloe was distressed. Craig filled them in on their theory that the stalker wasn't Phillip, but someone unknown.  
  
"How do you know he was in your room?" asked Bo, who was taking notes.  
  
"That." she raised a shaky arm and pointed to the object on the table. Bo picked it up slowly. It was a white porcelain mask, designed to cover only half of the face.  
  
"It's the mask the phantom wears in 'Phantom of the Opera.'" Brady explained. "His way of telling us that he was at the ball tonight, watching us."  
  
Bo and John digested this silently. Nancy looked at Chloe worriedly. "I'm going to put Chloe back to bed."  
  
"I'll come with you." Brady said, helping Chloe to her feet.  
  
They entered her room and Chloe hung back, terrified. "I don't want to sleep in here." she sounded like a child, lost and afraid.  
  
"Why don't you sleep in the guest room, sweetie?" Nancy soothed. She got Chloe settled into bed. Brady hugged her and kissed her forehead.  
  
Chloe appeared anxious as he was about to leave. "Can Brady stay with me tonight?" she asked Nancy, eyes wide with fear.  
  
Nancy considered it briefly. She finally sighed. "Yes, but this door stays open, and we are just down the hall." She said firmly.  
  
"Thanks, Nancy" Chloe said, immediately relieved. Brady settled into bed beside her and kissed her temple.  
  
Upon leaving, Nancy turned back to Brady. "I like you, Brady. Let's keep it that way."  
  
"Yes, m'am."  
  
Nancy headed back downstairs.  
  
"Is there a way to identify this guy using the website that Chloe's pictures were downloaded from?" John asked Bo.  
  
Bo breathed deeply. "John, you're talking about a site that was shut down over six months ago. It's not going to be easy. But there might be a way. In order to get those pictures, the stalker would have had to pay money to the site. We could pull the transaction records for that account and generate a list of everyone who paid money to that site. Then cross reference it with a list of known sex offenders, since our stalker has probably done this before, and see what kind of results we get."  
  
"Sounds good." John replied.  
  
"However, this will take a few days, and we could wind up with quite a few names. But it will at least give us a place to start. In the meantime, I'm going to request that regular patrols are made of this neighborhood." Bo picked up the mask. "I'm going to take this in, see if I can't find out where he got it."  
  
Craig thanked Bo and John and walked them to the door. Bo turned to Craig with conviction in his eyes. "We're going to get this guy, Craig. Count on it." 


	40. Chapter Thirtynine

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 39  
  
"Chloe, I want you to relax." Marlena spoke in a calm, soothing, low tone. She spoke slowly, rhythmically, in order to create an aura of peace and tranquility in the room. The room was decorated in rich, warm brown tones - very earthy and comforting.  
  
Chloe lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling nervously. She looked over at the wall-length mirror behind her for strength, courage. She knew that Brady and Craig were on the other side of that mirror, observing her session.  
  
Marlena had asked them earlier to observe. Craig was Chloe's guardian and his medical knowledge may be needed during the session. Marlena also wanted Brady to be there to provide emotional support for Chloe, knowing how important he was to her. Before the session, she warned them that this would be an intense, difficult session. "I need you both to be strong. We may learn things that will be horrifying and shocking, but for Chloe's sake we must be strong. Also, do not interrupt the session unless I tell you to, no matter how upset she gets. This is important, Brady. Can you do that?" Brady gave a slight nod.  
  
Back in the session room, Marlena was preparing Chloe for hypnosis. "I want you to breathe with me, Chloe, slowly, like this. Inhale Exhale  
  
In Out...."  
  
Chloe's heartbeat slowed and her eyelids became heavy as she focused on her breathing.  
  
"In Out. That's very good. Now, Chloe, when I count to three, you will fall into a deep sleep. You will dream and you will tell me what you are dreaming. One, two...three."  
  
Chloe closed her eyes. She was now in a state of semi-consciousness, in a kind of waking sleep state. She was asleep and dreaming, unaware of her surroundings, but still able to hear and respond to Marlena.  
  
"Chloe, I want you to imagine you are in a place where you feel safe, and happy. Are you there? Can you see it?"  
  
"Yes." Chloe replied mechanically.  
  
"Describe it for me. Where are you?"  
  
"I'm in a country field, in summer time. I'm laying in the tall grass and looking up at the clouds in the sky. I'm so warm. There are wildflowers and butterflies all around me. I'm so sleepy." Chloe yawned, even in her hypnotic trance.  
  
Marlena chuckled softly. "Remember this place, Chloe. This is your haven, a safe refuge. When you feel scared, or upset, come here and you will be safe from all harm. Nothing can hurt you here, remember that."  
  
Marlena inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled. She prepared herself mentally for the trial ahead. "Chloe, I want you to leave your haven for just a little while, okay? I want you to go someplace else. I want you to tell me about your dreams."  
  
The lazy, contented smile on Chloe's face faded away, to be replaced by an expression of pain. Her breathing quickened.  
  
"Chloe, where are you? What is happening?" Marlena asked gently.  
  
Chloe's voice was small and distant:  
  
"She was upset. They were running late. 'Dear, we are going to be late. Chloe will be fine. I've hired the best sitter in town. For goodness sake she's ten years old.'  
  
'Yes dear,' he sighed and he helped her into the car.  
  
I'm floating in the sky and they are beneath me. I see everything but I can do nothing. I'm not really here. Just a dream image."  
  
"What do you see, Chloe?"  
  
Chloe smiled fondly. "I see my adoptive father, my daddy. He turns to look back at the front door where the other me is standing. She's younger and looks at him with wide blue eyes. I hear him whisper, 'I love you.' Then he drives away." Chloe's voice trembles and her eyes shine with unshed tears.  
  
Brady watches her sadly. He knows this story, knows the pain and heartache behind it. He places his hand on the thick glass that separates them and watches.  
  
"I cry out 'No Daddy! Don't go! Don't leave me.' But there is no noise, only silence. I see the lone tear that runs down little Chloe's face. It is the last one she'll shed for years.  
  
She doesn't cry when the police come to tell her her daddy is dead. She doesn't cry when she sits at the funeral amidst the stares and the whispers of 'the poor thing, there aren't any family members who can take her. She was adopted, you know. She'll have to go back to the orphanage.' Ten years old and twice abandoned, and still she does not cry.  
  
That's why no one wants her, why no one wants me. She does not cry outside - it's inside, deeper.  
  
I go through many smiley happy families. They keep me for a while and then send me back."  
  
Chloe sobs recalling the pain of the past. "Why doesn't anyone want me? Why can't anyone love me?" She whispers softly, "I don't want to be alone."  
  
Her words cut Brady to the quick. He hears her words in his head. "Do you know what it's like, Brady, to go years without anyone ever telling you they loved you?" Even during his worst years, he had always been able to count on his father's love for him. He couldn't fathom not having love of some kind, being loved by someone.  
  
Chloe calmed down and quit crying. "I did learn to cry though. They'll stop beating me if I cry." Chloe jerked and twitched repeatedly. She covered her face with her hands and curled into a ball - reacting physically to the memory of the vicious blows.  
  
She sobbed spasmatically. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. All my fault. I deserve it." she cried out. "I'm bad." she whispered. "That's why my daddy left me." Her tears returned full force and she cowered on the sofa, waiting for her next beating.  
  
Brady couldn't take anymore. Someone beat her?! Bastards! Beating a child until she's so screwed up she thinks it's her fault. He looked at Chloe's broken, sobbing figure and knew he had to comfort her, hold her, do something.  
  
He was nearly halfway to the door when Craig stopped him. "Brady, she has to get through this on her own." he said gently, his own voice thick with anger, sadness.  
  
"I...I"  
  
"It's hard for me too." Craig empathized. "She's my daughter, regardless of genetics, and I can't stand to see her like this. But Brady, as hard as it is, you have to be even stronger. We haven't reached the worst of it yet."  
  
Brady inhaled deeply and spun back around to the glass. He clenched his fists and sighed in frustration at his own impotence.  
  
"So what happened next, Chloe?" Marlena asked.  
  
"Then he came for me."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Father."  
  
"Father?" Marlena asked, puzzled.  
  
"That's what he wants me to call him. He says he's going to adopt me and then we will be a real family. He'll be my father and I'll be his little girl."  
  
Brady and Craig looked at each other. What is this? {This man sounds like he's not all there.} Brady thought.  
  
Marlena listened intently. She was afraid of what was coming next, if her suspicions were correct. But they had to proceed - Chloe must remember, no matter how painful it may be.  
  
"And how old are you, Chloe?"  
  
"Fourteen."  
  
{Right before she came here - when she was in her 'coma'.} Marlena noted that Chloe's responses became more and more childlike the older she became. {The neglect and physical abuse she suffered earlier had caused her to regress emotionally. She was trying to go back to when she was happy, as a young child} she realized.  
  
"How does this make you feel?" Marlena asked.  
  
Chloe was silent for many minutes. Marlena noticed the change in her expression. Her eyes widened in a blank stare. She breathed in quick, irregular spurts. Marlena was stunned when Chloe began to suck on her thumb.  
  
"Chloe, where are you now?"  
  
Chloe's reply was accompanied by tremors that ran through her body. "I'm in the house. It's so dark and I'm afraid. I can hear whispers all around me and shadows dance everywhere. It's dark, it's always dark here. The dark makes things look evil. The pictures on the wall have mean faces. They leer at me with wicked grins.  
  
I'm in a long hallway, and at the end is a door. There are no other doors or windows. The only escape is through the door. I'm trapped. I can't get out."  
  
{The door.} Marlena thought. {In cases of repressed memories, the barrier blocking the lost memories is usually represented by a door.}  
  
"What's on the other side of the door, Chloe?"  
  
"I don't remember." Chloe was growing increasingly nervous and agitated.  
  
"Walk toward the door, Chloe."  
  
Her breathing grew even more rapid and she fidgeted restlessly.  
  
"Are you there?" Marlena asked.  
  
"yes. i can hear voices on the other side, and someone's crying softly." Chloe whimpered and hugged her chest as she trembled.  
  
"Chloe, open the door."  
  
Tears fell from her eyes. Her voice was so small. "i can't."  
  
"Yes, you can, Chloe. Open the door. It will be okay."  
  
Chloe was crying openly now. Brady wanted to reach out for her, give her strength, ease her fears. But he was helpless, a spectator to her pain.  
  
"please, don't make me." she pleaded. "i don't want to remember." Sobbing, "don't make me go back."  
  
"It's okay to remember, Chloe. They're just memories, they can't hurt you. Open the door, Chloe. It will be okay." Marlena soothed.  
  
Chloe closed her eyes. "okay." A minuted passed. Chloe suddenly began to hyperventilate. She gasped raggedly and twitched on the couch.  
  
"Where are you now, Chloe?"  
  
"i'm in my bed. i can't breathe. he's laying on me and i can't breathe. he's so heavy."  
  
Chloe sobbed and shuddered. "he's kissing me, his tongue is in my mouth, i can't breathe. i can't move."  
  
Chloe covered her ears with her hands. She rocked herself back and forth. "he tells me he loves me. 'be a good girl, Chloe, and let Father show you how much he loves you.' i can't move i can't get away. NOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Chloe screamed and threw herself on the floor. She twisted and writhed on the floor, kicking, screaming.  
  
"Craig! She's going into seizure!" Marlena rushed to the shaking girl on the floor as Craig flew into the room, followed by an ashen Brady.  
  
Chloe rocked herself, arms tight around her chest, choking back sobs and incoherent words.  
  
Marlena tried to restrain her. "It's what I feared might happen. The memories flooding her mind are too overwhelming. It's too much for her mind to handle. It's memory overload."  
  
Marlena looked the shivering girl in the eyes. "Don't fight it, Chloe. Just ride the flow, let the memories carry you. It's going to be okay. Concentrate on us." She motioned for Brady to try. He had been able to reach her before, maybe it would work again.  
  
Brady knelt in front of her and took her trembling face in his hands. He forced her to look in his eyes. Her lids fluttered rapidly, and her pupils were dilated. "Chloe, listen to me. Focus on me, Chloe. Don't think about it, just focus on me. Focus on my eyes."  
  
Chloe returned his gaze; her eyes locked onto his and she held on for dear life. Her hands clutched onto his chest. Brady almost winced from the pain caused by her digging, grasping fingers, but he didn't allow it to break his gaze.  
  
Chloe continued to shake from the onslaught of forgotten memory, hidden trauma. She wanted to run away, escape in her mind, shutdown, like she had before. But Brady's voice, his presence pulled her back like a lifeline around her waist.  
  
"Focus on my eyes, Chloe. My big, blue eyes. Come back to us. It's okay. You're okay."  
  
Minutes passed and still they stared in each other's eyes. Chloe's tremors became less violent, and came less often. She blinked and tears spilled from her eyes. Her shoulders shook from the force of her sobs.  
  
"I remember." She cried with a small, defeated voice.  
  
"He raped me."  
  
Brady wrapped his arms around her, stunned by the revelation. He had had his suspicions, of course. Especially after witnessing the session. But to actually hear it from her mouth - simple, unadorned truth, knocked the air from his lungs. He struggled to breathe while he tried to comfort Chloe.  
  
Like there was anything he could do to make this better. He heart ached, while grief and rage battled for control. Grief won, for the moment, and as he held his sobbing soulmate, his own tears escaped his normally rigid control.  
  
Visions assailed his mind, of Chloe, an innocent little girl, being attacked, raped by a man who was supposed to protect her, who was supposed to chase away the monsters at night. Instead, he was her monster at night. Brady shook with murderous fury. {Don't think about it now, Brady. Chloe needs you.}  
  
Chloe was shaking uncontrollably, unaware of Brady. She was caught in a memory loop. The memories played over and over in her mind. It was for her like it had just happened. She remembered his wet, sloppy kisses. His rough, grabby hands that groped and prodded everywhere. She could feel him between her legs, the pain as he enters her. His wetness inside her that makes her feel dirty. Over and over.  
  
She felt arms around her, holding her, touching her. They belonged to a man. She struggled to escape his embrace. The man looks down at her, concern in his blue eyes, but she doesn't recognize him.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed and bolted out of his arms. She heard him calling after her as she fled the room. {Gotta get away. Don't stop. He's after you.}  
  
"CHLOE!" Brady yelled, running after her, flying through the crowded hospital corridors. {I have to stop her, before she gets hurt.}  
  
Chloe didn't even hesitate as she ran through the doors of the hospital and out into the street. She stopped suddenly, blinded by bright sunlight. She was confused, delirious. {Where am I? What am I doing here?} She stood there, afraid, lost like a little child.  
  
She didn't see the truck bearing down on her. 


	41. Chapter Fourty

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 40  
  
Brady was hot on Chloe's heels as she fled out the doors of the hospital. His heart stopped as she ran blindly out into the street. He saw her stop, looking dazed and disoriented. And then he saw the large delivery truck and he didn't have time to think.  
  
"CHLOE!" he yelled as he lunged at her. He slammed into her with the force of a professional quarterback. They both hit the rough cement and rolled, their momentum carrying them to the other side of the street. Brady wound up on top of her as the truck barrelled past them, blaring its horn belatedly.  
  
Brady drew in deep, ragged breaths and tried to calm his racing heart. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. A minute passed as he tried to process what had just happened. What had almost happened.  
  
Chloe had almost died. The realization hit him like a wave of ice water, chilling him to the bone. {I almost lost her. Oh my God. One second later and I'd be cradling her lifeless body.} He shuddered involuntarily, going into shock as the adrenaline surge faded. He felt cold all over. {Don't lose it now, Brady. Focus on Chloe.} Chloe! He had forgotten about her.  
  
"Chloe?" he breathed, panting heavily for breath. He looked down at the trembling girl beneath him.  
  
She was in shock also, drowning in images and visions that refused to go away. She can't breathe, crushed by a huge weight. Hot, panting breaths hit her face and neck. She hears someone moan her name. NO! It's happening again!  
  
"GET OFF ME!" she yelled. She slapped him hard across the face, raking her nails across his cheek, drawing blood. She brought her knee up and planted it firmly in the pit of his stomach. Her attacker groaned and doubled over, clutching his sides. She didn't wait for him to recover, but bolted away from him. She didn't know where she was going, she didn't know where she was. She only knew she had to run away.  
  
"Chloe!" Brady cried through the agonizing pain in his gut. He pulled himself shakily to his feet and tried to breathe. He saw that Chloe was headed toward a small park on the hospital grounds. Ignoring the protests from his stomach, he started off at a brisk jog, praying that he would be able to reach her.  
  
Chloe slowed to a walk when she reached a secluded, wooded area. She sat down on a cold stone bench to pull herself together. She was beginning to feel the bitter winter air. The visions continued to torment her, but there weren't as many, and she was beginning to make sense of them. She was beginning to remember who she was, where she was, and how she got there.  
  
She froze when she heard footsteps crunching through the frozen grass. Brady stepped into the small clearing and saw her, frozen in place. A deer trapped in headlights. She was poised for flight, fear visible in her wide eyes.  
  
He took a slow step backwards. He held one hand out in front of him and with the other hand slowly reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Yeah, it's me. I found her. We're in the park. Okay." He hung up the phone and replaced it in his pocket. He then addressed her, keeping his voice low, calm and steady, mimicing Marlena's therapist voice.  
  
"Chloe, it's okay. No one is going to hurt you. Listen to me. You are seventeen. You live here in Salem with your mom Nancy and your step-father Craig. You have lots of friends who love you and care about you and I am one of them. It's me, Brady."  
  
She looked at him, tears running down her frozen cheeks.  
  
"I know."  
  
He sighed, relieved that she was coming back to herself. He walked toward her, to comfort her, hold her. He reached out a hand to her, and lightly caressed her shoulder. She recoiled from his touch, from him, like she was repulsed by him.  
  
"Stay away from me." She said coldly. Conflicting thoughts warred in her mind. This is Brady, your friend, your soulmate. But he's one of THEM. Given time, he'll use you up and spit you out. She didn't really believe it, but the pain, the wounds were too fresh, too raw.  
  
"It's me, Brady. I would never hurt you. I love you." He told her, his blue eyes almost pleading with her.  
  
But it was the wrong thing to say. It echoed through her mind. {I love you, my sweet little Chloe.} Her 'father' had told her that everytime he forced his way into her, like that would make it okay. And she let him, she let him rape her because he loved her. She was so hungry for someone's love and affection that she let him hurt her time and time again. She never fought him, and she never told.  
  
"You love me? My mom loved me and she gave me up for adoption. My daddy loved me and he left me. 'Father' loved me and he raped me. Phillip loved me and he punched me into a brick wall."  
  
Chloe looked at him, tears streaming from her eyes, her heart breaking. "I know you love me, Brady. And you aren't like them. But I can't hear it now. It hurts too much." She sobbed, clutching her hair, fists pressed against her temples. "They won't go away! I can still see it. I can still feel it.! His hands are crawling on my skin. I can't breathe. I can't.... I can't."  
  
Brady reached out for her, but she pushed him away. "I can't I can't..." she cried and ran away from him. He moved as if to follow, but was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. He jumped and spun around. He calmed when he saw who it was.  
  
Marlena and Craig were just entering the clearing. "Let her go, Brady. She needs time alone, to deal with this. For her it's like it just happened. She needs time to grieve." Marlena said gently.  
  
Craig watched Chloe leave. "It looks like she's headed home. I'll let Nancy know to expect her, and have her call me when she gets there."  
  
"Tell her to leave Chloe alone. No offense, Craig, but I believe the last thing Chloe wants or needs is her mother smothering her. Just leave her alone. For the next day at least. I'm going to give her a few days to herself, and then we'll start with regular counseling sessions." Marlena told them. She took in the heartbreak on Brady's face, the despair in his eyes. "Brady, why don't you go on home. I'll follow shortly. I'm waiting for Chloe's file to come in from the orphanage, and then I'll be home." She gave him a deep hug. "We will get her through this. She will be okay."  
  
Brady stood there, stiff and unresponsive, his face a stoic mask of the pain he felt inside. He stared at the path she had taken when she left, feeling his heart ache for the pain she was feeling. He stood for a moment, then with an inaudible sigh, he turned and walked away. 


	42. Chapter Fourtyone

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 41  
  
He entered the house slowly, heavy hearted. He wondered how he was going to break the news to his wife Nancy, when he was still trying to make sense of it himself. His mind tormented him with visions of Chloe going into seizure, screaming and crying. "He raped me." Those words echoed through his head, and created an ache in his heart that refused to abate. If it was this painful for him, how much worse would it be for Nancy?  
  
Craig was afraid of how Nancy would react. He remembered when Nancy had thought that Phillip had raped Chloe. That had been painful enough, and she turned out to be wrong. This would absolutely devastate her. It had devastated him.  
  
His mind replayed the last two years that Chloe had been here, how their lives had changed so dramatically. This strange girl who walked into their lives was now his daughter, in everyway that counts.  
  
Craig was surprised by the rage he felt toward the bastard who had done this to her. The bastard who raped his little girl. He had never been so angry. Given the chance, he knew he could actually kill him, and not regret it for an instant.  
  
He heard Nancy coming down the stairs. Craig pulled himself together and calmed down. He must be strong for Nancy.  
  
"Craig! Finally! I've been waiting forever, out of my mind with worry."  
  
"Where's Chloe?" he asked simply.  
  
"Up in her room. She's been there since she came in. I did what you said and I haven't bothered her, but Craig, it's so hard. I can hear her sobbing from here. What happened in the session?" She asked, her eyes filled with worry for her daughter.  
  
Craig laughed bitterly. "Well the hypnosis was a success. She remembers what happened to her. I just wonder if we did her any favors. Maybe she would have been better off not knowing, not remembering. Blissfully ignorant."  
  
Nancy was immediately worried by his cryptic response. "What is it? Tell me! What happened?"  
  
Craig was unable to hide the heartbreak in his eyes. "Nancy, you should sit down." He said gently. Her heart was racing as she sat down on the living room sofa. He kneeled on the floor in front of her and took her hands in his. He looked up into her eyes. "Nancy, what I'm going to tell you is going to be hard for you to hear, but you have to. And you have to be strong for Chloe. She needs us both to be strong right now. Okay?" he said. His voice was rough like gravel and his eyes brimmed with unshed tears. This was going to be so hard for Nancy. He hated hurting her. He took a moment to clear his throat and wipe his eyes.  
  
He looked up at her, at the face of the woman he loved so much. Even after all these years, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes upon. He looked in her eyes; the eyes that usually sparkled with laughter, or blazed in righteous anger, were now wide with worry and fear.  
  
He inhaled deeply. "Nancy, what we learned in session today, it was bad. During the years that Chloe was in foster care – she was horribly abused."  
  
Nancy's heart stopped as a cold frost settled over her. "What…?" her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Some of the families beat her." He squeezed her hands tightly as tears fell from her eyes.  
  
"Someone hit my baby? No…"  
  
"Honey, it gets worse. Much worse." Craig said, his voice cracking. All ready his beloved wife was in so much pain. "There is nothing I can do to prepare you for this, nothing I can say to soften the blow." He said quickly, taking another deep breath.  
  
"So, I'm just going to say it. Nancy, honey, we found out today that one of Chloe's foster fathers raped her while she was in his care. This is what Chloe had blocked from her memory, what she remembered today. She was raped."  
  
Nancy heard Craig's voice as if it came from a mile away through a twisting tunnel. She had stopped hearing him the moment she heard the word 'raped'. Unbidden memories came to her, of the night Chloe was conceived. A friend of her father's, a man over twice her age, had gotten her drunk and taken advantage of her. She had never used the word 'rape' – didn't want to believe that that was what had happened. But it was rape all the same, whether or not she called it that.  
  
But despite the circumstances of Chloe's conception, Nancy had loved her baby more than life itself. It had killed her to give her away. But she had genuinely believed that she was doing the right thing for her baby. Now she knew better.  
  
Tears spilled down Nancy's cheeks. "No wonder she hates me. It's all my fault. I did that to her." She muttered, bitter guilt and sadness flowing through her.  
  
Craig threw his arms around her and cradled her head on his chest. "Nancy, this isn't your fault. You did what you had to do. You gave her to a wonderful couple who loved her and took good care of her. You couldn't have known that they would die ten years later."  
  
Nancy just sobbed in Craig's chest, her tears soaking his shirt. He held her and rocked her while she cried, bitter tears escaping his own eyes.  
  
"My baby. My baby." She cried, drowning in a mother's love for her wounded daughter.  
  
Craig felt her pain acutely and understood. He felt the same way. "I know, Nancy. She's my baby too." 


	43. Chapter Fourtytwo

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 42  
  
He closed the penthouse door behind him and leaned heavily against it. {Home} He couldn't even remember how he had gotten here. He'd been running on autopilot ever since Chloe left him in the park, taking his heart with her. It was the only way for him to function; he had to lock all his emotions in and bury them down deep inside, at least until he got home.  
  
But now, the emotions were threatening to overflow – they were too powerful to ignore. "He raped me." Chloe's voice, like a lost little girl, repeated in his head. He saw her bent over, shaking and sobbing, in his mind. He could feel her pain in his heart.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to stop the images. He looked up the steps toward his room, his sanctuary. {Just a few more feet, Brady. Keep it together.}  
  
He was halfway up the stairs when his father called to him from the living room. Brady swore softly. {I've got to get my own place.} He turned around and headed down toward his father.  
  
"Hey, Dad." He said emotionlessly. He was looking down at the floor, shoulders slumped, hands deep in his pockets.  
  
John took in his son's appearance with worry. "How was the session, son?" he asked. Then he saw the welt on Brady's face. "Brady, what happened?" After Brady's confused look, "To your face?"  
  
Brady reached up and felt the scratches on his face. He had completely forgotten them. He went to the mirror and gently ran his fingertips along the lines of dried blood; tracing the marks she had given him. 'Get Off Me!' she had cried. He remembered the stinging slap, the raking claws, the knee to his gut. None of those had hurt him like the look of fear in her eyes. She had actually been afraid of him – actually believed him capable of hurting her. {She couldn't help it Brady. She was just reacting to the memories. It's not her fault.} "It's his fault." He added softly, out loud.  
  
"Whose fault?" John closely watched his son. He noticed the sad despair in his eyes, the defeat in his posture.  
  
Brady barely heard John's voice, barely even registered his presence. It was a minute before Brady spoke, his gaze focused on some unknown dot in the distance.  
  
"I don't understand, Dad. How we can live in this great country of ours and things like this still happen. Men like him are still allowed to exist."  
  
John raised his brow in confusion. "Men like who, son?" he asked deeply.  
  
Brady's gaze hardened, cold fury emanating from his being. "Men who take a sweet, innocent little girl; a girl they are supposed to watch over, take care of, protect. But instead abuse her, beat her, rape her."  
  
Understanding began to dawn on John, but he knew Brady needed to say it, to get it out of his system. "What happened in session today?" he asked his son.  
  
Brady closed his eyes in defeat, holding back the tears, fighting for control. He said simply, "Chloe was raped, Dad, while she was in foster care. She remembers it now, every horrible detail."  
  
John closed his eyes and exhaled lowly. "My God." He said softly. He turned to Brady. "Son, I am so sorry." He reached out and placed his hand on Brady's shoulder.  
  
Brady shrugged him off. The last thing he wanted was someone's pity. He was afraid that if he allowed himself to give free reign to his grief, his sadness, then he would never stop crying. And crying wasn't going to help anyone. So instead he opted for the other strong emotion he was feeling. Anger.  
  
He spun around and stared at his father, blue fire blazing in his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that @$$hole isn't here so I can beat the sh*t out of him."  
  
John ignored his son's anger and strong language. He knew Brady was just venting his anger and frustration over his own helplessness. His love, his soul mate, Chloe was hurting, in pain like she's never experienced before and he couldn't do a thing to help her.  
  
Brady began pacing the living room, crossing the room with long strides. He gestured wildly with his hands, struggling to understand. "What kind of sick bastard does that to a little girl?"  
  
John just watched his son silently. Brady was so much like him. When John was upset, the last thing he wanted was someone's sympathy or empty words. So John stood there, trying to reassure him through his presence, waiting for Brady to unleash what he was feeling.  
  
Brady stopped pacing and faced his father. He sighed with a defeated slump of his shoulders that portrayed both the grief and a rage he was feeling.  
  
"She was fourteen, Dad. Fourteen! Do you remember what Belle was like at that age? She was getting ready to go to high school and was worried about making friends and getting good grades. That's what Chloe should have been thinking about. Instead, she was worried about the man who crawled into her bed at night."  
  
John felt his own righteous anger rise at the mention of Belle. It was every father's worst nightmare. He remembered Belle telling him about Paul Mendez. How, she had been afraid that he would rape her. He remembered feeling so glad that the bastard was dead. He thought of Chloe. She wasn't his daughter, but she was very much a part of his family, through his children. What hurt her hurt his family. And he would allow nothing to hurt his family. He tried to shake the murderous rage that was threatening to consume him. Turning into the mercenary wasn't going to help Chloe, or his son. He turned toward Brady.  
  
Brady sighed loudly, staring up at the ceiling. "God. Fourteen. She was still a child, forced to grow up too fast, her childhood ruined, her innocence robbed. I… I just don't understand. I don't want to understand."  
  
Brady laughed bitterly. "Was it just last night, Dad? We were dancing and kissing and becoming one. Finally ready to take a chance on us, all the obstacles out of the way. And now, like a punch in the gut, life throws this at us."  
  
Brady began pacing again. "From the moment Chloe and I first met, there was this thing between us, a connection of some type. We just KNEW each other, even when we were at each other's throats. That connection has only grown stronger over time. At times, we know what the other is thinking, feeling. And last night, it was amazing. I can't describe it, it was spiritual.  
  
But now, there is this wall between us. I felt it in the park, when she walked away from me. This unbreachable, unclimbable wall dividing us. And I don't know how to get through it."  
  
John tried to comfort Brady. "You will get through this. It's just going to take time. Chloe will get over this."  
  
Brady whirled on John. "Over it?! There's no getting over it! Chloe was RAPED!"  
  
"What?….No…" came a small voice behind them.  
  
They turned to see Belle and Shawn in the doorway of the penthouse. Belle's eyes grew wide as tears welled up in them. Brady swore softly and breezed past them out the door, leaving John and Shawn to help Belle. Brady couldn't take it right now, his family's suffocating pity. He needed air.  
  
As soon as he was outside, he took off at a run, as fast as he could. He ignored the winter chill stinging his cheeks. He ran and ran, past houses with their happy little families preparing for a happy Christmas. He ran past stores with their last minute Christmas shoppers. He ran and ran, ignoring his muscles screaming for a break. He ran and ran, not knowing where he was going until he was there.  
  
He stopped beneath her window. He couldn't hear her sobs. But he could feel them. Even through the barrier between them, he felt her pain, for it was his pain. As his soul mate cried into her pillow, he lifted up his face and cried into the winter sky. He unleashed everything he had inside in one gut-wrenching, heart-rending cry that filled the air for miles around him. As the echo died down, he dropped to his knees and cried. 


	44. Chapter Fourtythree

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 43  
  
Chloe fought to catch her breath. She'd been crying for three hours now. Every time she began to calm down, the visions and memories assaulted her again, tormenting her with fresh pain. {Breathe, Chloe, breathe.} She kept seeing it, kept feeling it. His fat tongue is in her mouth, prodding and slopping in every crevice of her mouth. She can't breathe. He pushes her down with his weight, grunts in her ear. She stiffens, terrified, as he forces her legs apart. She can't breathe. And then the pain as he forces his way into her. He pushes against her, thrusts for an eternity until she can feel his slime inside of her.  
  
Chloe leaned over the bed and threw up into her wastebasket. She retched from the memories, the intense sobs that stole her breath. She was hyperventilating and crying so hard she literally vomited. She cried so hard she threw up blood, having rubbed her trachea raw with her sobs.  
  
Chloe shuddered with the force of the images, the force of the shame they brought. His slime had been inside of her, everywhere. What if it was still there? Chloe ran to the adjoining bathroom and turned the water on in the tub. She got it as hot as she could stand it, hotter. She grabbed a rough loofah sponge and scrubbed every inch of her skin, every hole and crevice, everywhere he had touched. She scoured until her tender skin bled, growing red and puffy from her abuse.  
  
Chloe watched in dazed fascination as the blood dripped into the water. She watched as the water turned red – tainted. Just like she was. Damaged goods. She got out of the bath and dried herself off. She dried the small scrapes on her skin carefully.  
  
She caught sight of her naked body in the bathroom mirror and froze. She looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. "Chloe, you're so beautiful." A chorus of a hundred different voices echoed in her mind. She was so beautiful, all her life she had been so beautiful. It's why the boys in the orphanage couldn't stop staring at her. It's why Phillip had wanted to be with her. It's why her 'father' had raped her. "Chloe, you're so beautiful," they chanted in her mind.  
  
With a cry of anguish and rage, Chloe threw a hairbrush at the mirror – taking a perverse pleasure in watching it shatter into a thousand pieces still held in place by its backing.  
  
She looked at the cracked mirror. It had once reflected Chloe the whole, now it reflected Chloe's parts – disconnected body parts. That's how she had felt, every time she sensed a man's eyes burning into her body. Like she wasn't a person, but a collection of parts. She looked in the mirror and saw herself. Shattered.  
  
She rummaged through her closet for something to wear to bed. It was still early, but she was going to bed. She was going to bed and she was going to stay there until the world ended. She tossed aside the pretty, satiny nightgowns in disgust. She picked up one garment and smiled at the irony. It was the heavy, flannel, ugly sleep shirt that Brady had dressed her in the night Phillip attacked her. Perfect. She put on the oversized garment and smiled when it practically swallowed her body whole. She felt safe in it, comforted. She dug in her closet and found a large cardboard box.  
  
Inside were her 'ghoul girl' clothes. She hadn't been able to bring herself to throw them all out. So she had kept some, just in case. She pulled out a heavy black sweater and hugged it to her. She crawled into bed with her security blanket and doubled up into a ball. She thought of Brady. The one person she always ran to when she was hurt was the one person she couldn't be around. Not yet. Maybe not ever.  
  
She knew things for her would never be the same. In a matter of twenty- four hours her world had been turned upside down, rocked to its very core. She smiled as she remembered last night. It had felt so wonderful to be close to Brady, in his arms, touching, kissing. But now that was over. Her 'father' had ruined her. She couldn't think of being with anyone, not even Brady, that way. It just hurt too much.  
  
Chloe cried fresh tears into her pillow. She saw the look on Brady's face, the look in his eyes, as she walked away from him in the park. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears streaming down her face, her heart breaking. She cried for what might have been until she eventually drifted off into a fitful sleep. Not knowing that her soul mate, her missing half was not fifteen feet away, beneath her window, crying his own tears. 


	45. Chapter Fourtyfour

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 44  
  
That evening…  
  
They were gathered in the kitchen of the Black penthouse. Marlena, John, and Craig were seated at the table while Brady chose to remain standing, apart from the others. He leaned stiffly against the counter with his arms crossed. His face was an unreadable mask, unreadable to all except John. John saw the heartbreak in his son's eyes, the anger in his stance. He felt his own sadness at the thought of what his son was going through.  
  
Brady saw the sympathy in his father's eyes and tensed, throwing up a defensive wall around his emotions. He didn't need sympathy right now. He needed answers. That's why they were all here.  
  
There were stacks of papers in front of Marlena. She had finally gotten Chloe's file from the orphanage. She had been over it many times and every time she grew angrier and sadder. She was now finally ready to disclose the contents of the file, so she had called Craig. Marlena hoped that by learning exactly what had happened that they would know better how to help Chloe.  
  
Marlena turned to Craig, sympathy shining in her luminous eyes. "How is Chloe, Craig?" Brady listened intently to Craig's answer.  
  
Craig sighed deeply, "She finally fell asleep an hour ago. Nancy and I have checked on her a few times. She's absolutely exhausted. She cried non-stop all afternoon." Craig shut his eyes against the memory. Her sobs had filled the entire house. It was the most heartbreaking sound he'd ever heard. And every time Chloe cried, Nancy cried. Craig had spent most of the afternoon just holding Nancy, trying to comfort her.  
  
Marlena nodded empathetically. She knew just what Craig was feeling, for she had been there with her own daughter Sami. Sami was raped when she was sixteen by her boyfriend Alan. Marlena's eyes darkened, remembering her own anguish at her daughter's pain. She inhaled deeply and let it out, shaking off the past. She buried her emotions deep, for the moment, and let the clinical therapist take over.  
  
"First of all Craig, I wanted you to know that both Belle and Shawn know what happened. They overheard Brady and John talking about it. They, of course, aren't going to say anything about it." Belle and Shawn were at the Horton's helping decorate their Christmas tree. Shawn had invited Belle along, hoping it would take her mind off Chloe. They both were still unable to process the information, and wondered how they would be able to help Chloe.  
  
Craig replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's probably just as well. Chloe's going to need all her friends to get through this, when she's ready to talk, that is."  
  
John spoke up. "Craig, I talked with Bo today, regarding Chloe's stalker. He's still putting together the list of possible suspects from the website records, but he did find out about the mask. It came from a costume shop downtown. Unfortunately, the shop had reported the mask as stolen, so we have no leads there. But we are still working on the case. Bo said that they've already begun patrolling the area and Bo himself has driven by the neighborhood a few times today."  
  
Craig laughed bitterly. "That's the one good thing about all this, Chloe has apparently forgotten all about her stalker. She's too deeply buried in the past to think about recent events." He said, rubbing his tired eyes.  
  
"Which means we'll have to be extra careful. This guy is still out there, somewhere. And with the state of mind Chloe's in, she could wind up walking blindly into his grasp. You'll need to keep a close eye on her, and make sure she doesn't go anywhere by herself." John said softly.  
  
Craig replied caustically, "I don't think that's going to be a problem. I don't think Chloe's planning on leaving her room again, ever."  
  
Marlena reached and took his hand in hers. "Give her time, Craig. She will eventually come back to herself." An awkward silence followed, each lost in their thoughts and concern for Chloe. Finally Marlena cleared her throat. "Anyway we are here because I know you have a lot of questions."  
  
"Yeah," Brady spoke up, for the first time that evening, a hard set to his jaw. "Like, who was this bastard, and where is he now?"  
  
Marlena hesitated a moment before replying. "His name is Dr. Aaron Moore. He is, was, a licensed psychiatrist. His practice specialized in troubled girls like Chloe." She said disgustedly, bile rising in her throat.  
  
"I wonder how many of them he raped." John added softly.  
  
"There is no telling. The few charges that were brought against him were eventually dropped. Due to the mental state of his victims, they were unable to testify clearly what he had done to them. So the cases were all dropped. However, his license was revoked for 'improper conduct with a patient'." Marlena replied angrily.  
  
"How did he get guardianship of Chloe in the first place? Shouldn't somebody have checked his record?" Craig asked in disbelief. This bastard had done this to countless girls in the past and still they put Chloe in his care?  
  
Marlena replied sarcastically. "I assume we are talking about the same orphanage that doesn't even have a fax machine? When Chloe was there, they were overrun with kids, with little staff or resources to properly care for them all. So when a well known and respected member of the community, a doctor at the local hospital, comes in with his lovely wife of ten years and offers to take one of their most difficult cases off of their hands; of course they accepted his offer."  
  
"Wait, did he specifically ask for Chloe?" John asked.  
  
Marlena pulled a paper out of one of the stacks and glanced at it for reference. "According to Mrs. Spenser's personal notes, Dr. Moore and his wife came in to interview with her. They told her that they were interested in hosting a child in a foster capacity with the intention of eventually adopting. Dr. Moore added that as a therapist, he was especially sympathetic to young troubled girls. He said he wanted to take one and help her, give her a good home and a second chance at life. So Mrs. Spenser immediately thought of Chloe.  
  
Chloe had already been in and out of ten homes, and been physically and emotionally abused. Everyday she withdrew further and further into herself. The staff at the orphanage had no clue how to help her. Mrs. Spenser genuinely believed that she was doing the best thing for her." Marlena finished.  
  
"What about his wife? I find it hard to believe that she was in the house while Chloe was being attacked." Craig said.  
  
Marlena sighed. "Unfortunately, it does happen. Women will often turn a blind eye to abuse, even when it involves their own children. They just don't want to believe that their husbands are capable of it. However, in this case, two months after Chloe went to live with them, Mrs. Moore was checked into a mental facility, upon her husband's recommendations."  
  
"What was wrong with her?" John asked.  
  
Marlena replied with a small mirthless laugh. "A mild depression, made worse by the medication the good Dr. had kept her on. In any case, it was nothing so severe that it required hospitalization."  
  
Craig exhaled softly. "So he had his own wife committed, just to keep her out of the way." He swore softly. This guy just got more and more detestable.  
  
Marlena nodded in agreement. "And that's when the rape began. According to the file, though, before that time he had been preparing Chloe. He wanted to make sure that she would not resist or tell anyone. So he manipulated her, playing upon her worst fears and biggest desires. Such as, her fear of abandonment, her desire to be loved and have a family. He also knew that she had been especially close to her adoptive father and that she connected more with the father figures in her life."  
  
"So he had her call him 'father'." Craig interjected thoughtfully.  
  
"Exactly. He built her up with promises of adoption and his love for her. She was so screwed up that when the rapes occurred she wasn't able to fight him, or to tell anyone. And this continued for the next four months." Marlena added sadly.  
  
"Four months? I suppose we should be happy she didn't get pregnant." Craig commented bitterly.  
  
"Well, that's actually how he was found out." Marlena replied.  
  
Everyone's heart stopped. Chloe had gotten pregnant? Please, God no. Craig cradled his head in his hands.  
  
Marlena quickly spoke up. "No, she didn't get pregnant. Dr. Moore had been having prescriptions for birth control filled out for her under his wife's name. Eventually, a close friend of Mrs. Moore became aware of it and questioned it. You see, Mrs. Moore had had a hysterectomy years earlier and was unable to have children. It was actually the reason for her depression.  
  
So finally, someone asked questions about his past and discovered the earlier accusations. Chloe was removed from his care and managed to testify against him at the trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in jail. After the trial, though, Chloe collapsed into a catatonic state, and had to be placed in a mental ward. Six weeks later, she came back to herself, with no memories of what had happened in the last seven months. They told her that she had been in a coma and moved her back to the orphanage. Shortly after, they contacted Nancy and you know the rest."  
  
They were silent for some time, letting the information soak in. The knowledge that the bastard was in jail did not appease Brady one bit. He was consumed by an overwhelming fury at what this maniacal, twisted man had done to Chloe.  
  
The discussion soon broke up and Craig went home. Marlena and John talked softly together on the balcony, trying to comfort each other. Brady stood in the kitchen for a moment, restless with excess energy and rage. He grabbed his keys and headed out the door.  
  
  
  
People left him alone at the gym. He pounded ruthlessly into the heavy punching bag, fury radiating off of him in forceful waves. His aura screamed, "Leave me alone!" So they did. Some wise-ass remarked, "Must be girl problems." The guy was lucky Brady didn't hear him.  
  
Brady stayed there for hours, brutally punishing his body and the gym equipment, giving vent to his anger, his murderous fury.  
  
Finally, hours later, he collapsed on his bed, thoroughly exhausted. His last thought before sleep overtook him was of Chloe. 


	46. Chapter Fourtyfive

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
  
  
Chapter 45  
  
The next day, Christmas Eve…  
  
Brady pushed through the crowds at Salem Place, trying to control his temper. Every happy, smiling person talking about how magical and wonderful Christmas was grated on his nerves, and he was down to his last one. {Why am I here?} He rolled his eyes disgustedly, beginning to empathize with poor, misunderstood Ebenezer Scrooge.  
  
Even the weather had turned against him. He looked up in disgust at the bright, blue, clear sky, and the sunshine beating down on him. {Traitor.} It should have been gray, and cloudy to match his mood. {I am here to get something for Chloe.} He reminded himself, {even though it's going to be long time before I can even give it to her.} he added sourly.  
  
Brady paused a moment to calm himself. He replayed Marlena's pep talk from earlier this morning. "Chloe's strong, she will get through it, you both will. You just have to give her time. It hasn't even been 24 hours." {Don't give up now, Brady. Chloe's too important.} He tried to encourage himself; remembered what he was fighting for. {Fight for her, fight for the both of you.} {Chloe needs me, whether she knows it or not. I have to be there for her.}  
  
Thus, the reason for his shopping excursion. By getting her a Christmas gift, he was thinking about the future, their future together. He envisioned when he would give it to her. It would be a symbol of their love for each other and would be all the more wonderful because of the hardships they had endured. Which meant that the gift had to be just right, perfect.  
  
He entered a jewelry store and was immediately unimpressed by the selection. He passed row after row, counter after counter. They were all too conventional, too flashy. He was headed on his way out of the store when he saw it. It was tucked away in a small display case. {Perfect.} He picked it up. It was a Celtic promise ring, comprised of interweaving bands of sterling silver. It looked old, antique. It was beautiful in its simplicity. Just like Chloe.  
  
He carefully studied the ring, turning it every which way, making sure there were no flaws. He held it up the light, and was suddenly assaulted by a vision.  
  
He was running through a twisted maze of stone tunnels, deep underground. He was holding someone's hands. He looked over at a stunning redheaded woman, a woman whom he loved more than life itself. She was the missing part of his soul, his soul mate. And she carried their son with her.  
  
Others were behind them, friends, family, who were watching their backs as they escaped. They went through countless turns, they were almost there, almost free. They rounded the last bend, and stopped dead.  
  
He was in front of them, his evil laughter echoing off the tunnel walls. "Did you really think you could escape me, Brady?"  
  
Brady moved in front of his wife and child, shielding them with his body. There was a blinding flash, and he heard someone scream his name.  
  
"Brady!" Brady looked up in surprise to see Belle in front of him. {What the hell was that?} He shook his head to clear his mind of that… whatever it was.  
  
"Belle, what are you doing here?" He noticed that Belle lacked her usual cheerful disposition.  
  
"Shopping." She answered simply. She tried to be subdued around Brady. He was really hurting right now.  
  
He cocked an eyebrow. "Shopping? Weren't you done shopping, like months ago?" He asked with a small chuckle.  
  
"Well, the gift I got Chloe isn't really appropriate right now, so I'm going to give it to her later. But I still wanted to get her something. Mom said that Chloe is probably having a hard time feeling safe right now, so I went kinda crazy at the sporting goods store. I got pepper spray, a pocketknife and a flashlight. And it's really cool because she can put all of them on her key chain and always have them with her. I also got her a nightlight for her room, and a blank diary, because Mom said it might be good for her to write down what she's feeling until she's ready to talk about it. Oh, I'm also giving her the teddy bear you got me when I was in the coma, but it's just a loan." She finished with a small smile.  
  
"Wow, Belle that was really thoughtful of you." Brady said, gratitude shining in his eyes.  
  
"Well, I just feel kinda helpless. I want to do something, but I don't know what. I know she has to go through most of it on her own, but I still want to help. Chloe's been a great friend to me, and I'm a better person for knowing her."  
  
Brady ruffled his sister's hair affectionately. "Thanks, Belle. This means a lot to me, I know it will to Chloe, too."  
  
Belle just nodded. "Have you talked to her?"  
  
"No, I was thinking about stopping by her house later, just to see how she's doing. Maybe there's something I can do for the Wesleys. I hate that this is happening right at Christmas."  
  
"I know. Maybe our family should stop by for a little while tomorrow; we could bring food. Nancy probably doesn't feel like cooking."  
  
"That's a good idea."  
  
"Brady, if you do go by the Wesleys', will you drop off my gift bag for Chloe?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Thanks! Gotta go. Shawn still hasn't done ANY of his shopping and he needs my expertise. I love you, Brady. Take care, okay?"  
  
"I will. Luv ya too, Tink." He smiled affectionately at her as she left the store. {Leave it to Belle to raise my spirits.} He paid for the ring and left the store.  
  
  
  
  
  
Her first thoughts had been about Brady. She stretched out full length in her bed, and watched the sunlight streaming through her window. She remembered dancing with Brady, his arms around her, his lips on hers. She looked at her clock. It was early afternoon. {I can't believe Craig and Nancy let me sleep in. They must have been hit by the Christmas spirit.}  
  
Chloe slowly got out of bed. {What am I wearing?} She saw the heavy, flannel ugly sleep shirt and suddenly had a case of déjà vu. It wasn't long, though, before it all came flooding back to her. The session yesterday, everything she had remembered came back to her. "I was raped." She said simply.  
  
Once more, tears threatened to flow from her puffy eyes. {No.} she told herself firmly. {I have shed the last tear over what that bastard did to me.} She stood shaking, trying to calm herself. {Come on, Chloe. You're stronger than this. That @$$hole has no power over you. He's in jail. You put him there.} She brought to mind the trial.  
  
She had been so screwed up by what he had done to her. But somehow, she found the strength to testify against him. She forced back the insanity that was threatening to consume her mind, and told everyone what he had done, clearly, so there was no doubt. She had done it for one reason, to make sure he could never do it to anyone else. She remembered the overwhelming feeling of pride, of relief, when he was found guilty. She hadn't gone through it for nothing.  
  
But after the trial, she had had no other reason to be strong, and the realization of what he had done to her hit her full force. She was so tired, tired of living, tired of surviving every thing that happens to her. So she gave up, and fell into nothing.  
  
Chloe looked around her room. Once again, she found it hard to breathe, she was suffocating. "I need to take a walk. I have to get out of here." She headed for her bedroom door and stopped. She could hear Craig and Nancy downstairs.  
  
"I can't deal with them now. I can just see the pity in their eyes. And Nancy will be all like 'I'm so sorry. Oh boo hoo.'"  
  
So she opted for the window. She carefully climbed down the trellis. Once she hit the ground, she took off at a run toward her place of solitude.  
  
She sat on the pier, looking out over the water. She watched the reflections on the bouncing surface. The memories still haunted her, tormented her. But she refused to surrender to them. Instead, she focused on the good things in her life. Like Brady.  
  
She was lost in her daydreams, when she heard a sound behind her. She whirled around.  
  
"Brady?" 


	47. Chapter Fourtysix

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 46  
  
"Who was that on the phone, Craig?" Nancy asked as she hung a Christmas ornament on the tree.  
  
"That was Marlena. She's invited us to Christmas dinner tomorrow at the penthouse. Or, if we'd prefer, they can bring the food over here. This is of course if Chloe is up to it. They just don't want us to feel that we're alone this Christmas." Craig said, rubbing his wife's shoulders.  
  
Nancy sighed, "I haven't even thought about Christmas dinner. I'm just not in the mood to cook."  
  
"That's what Marlena figured. Actually, it was Belle's idea. It might do Chloe good, knowing we're all here for her. We could have it here, so she won't be too far from the security of her room." Craig added thoughtfully.  
  
"It would be nice to at least try to celebrate Christmas, even if I don't feel like it."  
  
"So, I'll let Marlena know that we're on?" Craig asked hopefully.  
  
"Yes. Thank her for me, Craig."  
  
"Okay." Craig paused. "We will get through this, Nancy. You'll see. Chloe is tough, strong, stubborn, like her mother. She will pull through, and we'll help her." Craig said, putting as much optimism in his voice as he could.  
  
Nancy nodded, trying to keep her spirits up. This was Christmas after all, a time for miracles.  
  
  
  
Brady stood anxiously on the Wesleys' front porch. {I shouldn't be here. Chloe doesn't want to see me.} Brady remembered the last time that they had been together, when she left him in the park. There was so much pain and confusion in her eyes. {How in the world are we going to get through this?} He cleared his mind of his doubts and tried to be positive. {Things will get better, Brady.} {They certainly can't get worse.} he added bitterly.  
  
Nancy answered the door with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Brady, come in. How are you?"  
  
He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice. "I've been better."  
  
Nancy nodded sympathetically. They have all been better.  
  
Brady asked nervously, "How's Chloe?"  
  
"Actually, I think she's doing better today. She's been very quiet. She may still be sleeping; she was the last time I checked on her, though that was a couple of hours ago. Do you want me to see if she wants to see you?"  
  
Brady inhaled deeply, "She probably doesn't, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask – at least see how she's doing."  
  
"Okay, I'll be right back."  
  
Brady watched Nancy go up the stairs to Chloe's room. He heard her call Chloe's name a couple of times as she went into various rooms. Slowly, a cold chill began to crawl up Brady's spine. He had that feeling again, that Chloe was in danger. He'd felt it at Tuscany when Phillip attacked her, and before when she was attacked on the street. It was that same feeling of cold dread.  
  
The feeling grew when he heard Nancy yell for Craig. Brady took the stairs two at a time and ran into Chloe's room. It was empty save for Nancy, who held a note saying  
  
Gone for a walk – Chloe.  
  
Chloe had left the house? Alone? With a crazed lunatic out there after her?  
  
"I'm going to find her." Brady said. He ran to his jeep and sped off. 


	48. Chapter Fourtyseven

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 47  
  
Brady stood on the pier and looked out over the water, a grim expression on his face. This place, which usually was his sanctuary, which usually calmed him, today only made him more restless, anxious.  
  
"Dammit, Chloe. Where are you?" He'd been searching for an hour now, checking all her favorite haunts, anywhere she might have gone. This was the third time he had come here to the pier, their special place. Surely, if she were anywhere, she'd be here. {She must have gotten lost somewhere, been confused in her current state of mind.} He didn't want to consider the other possibility, that she had been abducted. However, deep down he knew. He felt it in the core of his soul. She was gone. And he didn't know where.  
  
He turned to leave, and suddenly felt something pulling him back. Some unnamable force held him to that spot, while a wild wind suddenly blew around him. He heard whispers in the wind, but couldn't make out the message. He strained his ears to hear, suddenly feeling like something momentous was occurring. Someone, somewhere was trying to tell him something.  
  
But he couldn't hear anything but the rustling of trash and dead leaves in the breeze. The wind died down and the moment passed. He shook his head to clear his mind and got in his jeep. He drove back to the Wesleys'. Maybe Chloe had come back.  
  
  
  
The small hopeful smile on Nancy's face vanished when she saw that Brady was alone. "I looked everywhere for her. I can't find her. I don't know where she could be." Brady said with a sigh. He offered hopefully, "She probably just got lost somewhere."  
  
Nancy nodded slightly, trying to hang on to her last remaining thread of hope. No one said what they were thinking. They waited awkwardly for a few minutes, hoping that at any minute, she would come walking in the front door.  
  
Craig shook himself out of his lethargy. He knew a more proactive course was necessary. He decided to call Bo. Bo picked up after three rings; he'd been in the middle of giving J.T. a bath.  
  
"Bo, it's Chloe. She's missing. We found a note in her room saying that she went for a walk, and we haven't been able to find her anywhere."  
  
"Oh, Lord." Bo sighed. "How long has she been gone?"  
  
"At least two hours, but it could be as many as five." Craig answered grimly.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to get over to the station and get Abe and Roman involved in this. We'll start combing the streets for any sign of her."  
  
"Any word yet on who her stalker is?" Craig asked quietly, turning away from Nancy. He didn't want her to worry until they knew for a fact that she had been abducted.  
  
Craig heard Bo's sigh of frustration. "Unfortunately Craig, we ended up with a list of over 50 possible suspects. We're running the list through a filter, to sort the names by factors like location, motive, opportunity, history, alibis, etc. It's a lengthy process, and could take a while." Bo paused before continuing. "You know, Craig, we can't do anything officially until she's been missing 24 hours."  
  
"TWENTY-FOUR HOURS!" Craig struggled to bring his voice down. "She could be dead in twenty-four hours." He said quietly.  
  
"I know. That's why we'll be acting unofficially. We aren't cops tonight, Craig. Just concerned friends who want to help."  
  
"Thank you." He finished and hung up. He turned to the Nancy and Brady. "They are looking for Chloe as we speak. She'll turn up." He said optimistically, for his wife's benefit.  
  
But Brady knew better. He had observed closely Craig's call, saw the angry despair in his eyes, the restless energy in his frame. "I'll be right back."  
  
He went outside and called John, hoping that he would have some resources that would help. John and Marlena arrived a short time later to provide assistance and moral support.  
  
An anxious hour passed, filled with waiting and worry. Bo checked in periodically to say that they still couldn't find her. No one mentioned the fear that was foremost in their thoughts. Chloe hasn't been abducted, she's just lost.  
  
Marlena tried to calm Nancy as they sat on the living room loveseat. "They'll find Chloe soon. She's disoriented and confused, and her sense of direction is probably off balance. It's going to be okay. Just have faith, Nancy. God wouldn't let anything happen to Chloe, not on Christmas Eve."  
  
Nancy barely heard Marlena's soothing words. She was deep in shock. This was too much. So much had already happened to her baby, now she's gone, lost? Her eyes were focused blankly on the sofa in front of her, on the floor beneath the sofa. Her gaze was soon drawn to an envelope that was underneath the sofa. She picked it up mechanically and looked at it.  
  
She gradually emerged from her daze. She remembered seeing this letter. It had come in the mail days before and was addressed to Chloe. Marlena watched her, closely, concerned by Nancy's expression.  
  
"Nancy, what is it?" she asked. The dull murmurs of surrounding conversations soon came to a halt at her question. Everyone looked at Nancy, who was standing rigidly, a blank expression on her face.  
  
Nancy answered distantly. "It's a letter for Chloe. It was forwarded by the orphanage." She looked at the return address and frowned. "It's from the Department of Corrections." Nancy tore into the letter and read it silently. She felt her heart stop as the horrible realization sunk in. Ice flowed through her veins and she suddenly felt lightheaded. Craig came forward, concerned by her reaction, just as her knees buckled and she sank down onto the couch.  
  
"Nancy, sweetheart, what is it? What does the letter say?"  
  
Tears spilled out of her eyes. "He has her, Craig. He has my baby."  
  
Craig took the letter from Nancy's trembling grasp and read it. All color drained from his face until he was sickly gray. He cleared his throat. "This is a notice from the Dept. of Corrections. Dr. Aaron Moore was released on parole two months ago."  
  
A deadly quiet settled over the room. It was so quiet; heartbeats could be heard, if there were any beating. But the shock had stopped all hearts in that room, for an endless second as the horrible truth sunk in. It was her foster father. It had been him all along.  
  
Shock gave way to blinding fury. "He was released two months ago and you're just now finding out?" Brady yelled in the quiet room.  
  
Craig looked at the letter, his own anger beginning to rise. "This notice was dated three months ago. Apparently, the orphanage took their time in forwarding it to us."  
  
"Three months? We could have known about this guy three months ago? F*ck!" Brady swore loudly. It was his most dreaded fear. Chloe was gone, taken by a sick rapist who wants her dead. He was afraid of what might be happening to her right now, while they stood around uselessly doing nothing.  
  
Craig called Bo and updated him. "Okay, so now we know who our guy is. We have a place to start. I'm going to bring additional men in on this. We're going to check any places he might have taken her, abandoned warehouses, empty houses. I'll keep in touch." Bo said and hung up.  
  
Brady wanted to cry from fear and frustration. They now knew for certain that Chloe had been kidnapped and by whom. But they still didn't know where he had taken her. They didn't have one clue. "I need some air." He said and left the house. John watched him go, upset at his own inability to help his son.  
  
  
  
Brady didn't remember driving here. He just wound up here, on the pier. Horrible visions rocked through his mind. Chloe being beaten, raped, killed. He felt like his heart was being ripped apart into two halves. {Just like before.} he thought sadly, even though he didn't know what he had meant by that statement. His stomach twisted painfully.  
  
He threw his head back and looked up in the winter sky. The earlier sun had been covered by gray clouds. Tears fell from his eyes. "Please." He pleaded. "Please, God. Let me find her. Let her be okay."  
  
He stood silently weeping for his lost soul mate, when he felt a gentle breeze around him. Once again, he felt like the answer was there, in the wind. He felt a familiar presence, one he hadn't felt in a long time. "What?" he cried into the wind. "What are you trying to tell me?"  
  
"Go to Chicago." A raspy old voice answered from behind him.  
  
Brady spun around and came face to face with a dirty, wizened, ancient face. A pungent stench assaulted Brady's nose and he tried not to jump back from the elderly man who was obviously homeless, and probably crazy. "What?" Brady asked.  
  
"Chicago. Gotta go to Chicago." The crazy old man turned and walked away.  
  
Brady stood there, a chill settling over his body. He knew that this was significant. His mother had always been a big believer in the supernatural, in the things that just can't be explained. Was this the answer he was searching for?  
  
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed his father. "Dad, ask Nancy if Chicago holds any significance for Chloe." Brady waited for John's reply.  
  
"Nancy says that is where the orphanage is. Chloe spent most of her life there. Why?"  
  
"Dad, get the jet prepped and fueled. We have to go to Chicago."  
  
"Okay. Why?"  
  
"That's where Chloe is."  
  
Thirty minutes later, they were all aboard the Black private jet, en route to Chicago. Bo, Roman and Abe had joined them as well and were communicating with Chicago PD. John hadn't asked how Brady knew where Chloe was. Where Brady and Chloe were concerned, John was prepared to take a few things on faith. John reached over and patted Brady's shoulder. "We'll be there in 45 minutes, son. If we assume that Dr. Moore had to drive to Chicago, which, considering his lack of funds, is pretty much his only option, then it took him at least six hours to get there. At the very earliest, he could have left seven hours ago. So, he probably hasn't been here long."  
  
"That's still seven hours she's been in his clutches."  
  
"Yes, but he's coming here for a reason. He's been building up this revenge for a while, he wants it to last. I believe he's going to wait to get to his destination before…" John broke off, not wanting to voice his thoughts.  
  
"We still don't know what his destination is. Chicago's a pretty big place to look for two people." Brady said quietly.  
  
"Have faith, Brady. I do. Someone is helping us, pointing us in the right direction. They'll tell where to go."  
  
Brady mulled over his father's words. He looked out over the swiftly passing clouds beneath them. He thought of his love, those beautiful shining eyes, that amazing smile. {Hang in there, Chloe. I'm coming for you.}  
  
  
  
A\N: I can't remember where the orphanage actually is, but I know that Nancy had to drive a while to get there, she stayed in a hotel while she was there. Anyway, I'm making it Chicago. 


	49. Chapter Fourtyeight

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 48  
  
Plop. She sat on the pier and watched the waves radiate outward in concentric circles growing ever larger. A small piece of wood bobbed up and down with the waves. She threw another pebble in the water and watched the waves form again, amazed how such a small stone affects such a large amount of water. Ripple effect. She laughed sardonically. Waves as metaphor for life.  
  
Chloe thought of her own life. She was still being rocked by waves, affected by the stone that hit her three years ago. Granted, the stone was no small pebble but a giant boulder, creating tidal waves that crashed down over her life and everything in it.  
  
She sighed deeply. {Come on Chloe – you will get over this.} She watched as the surface of the water became calm once more, still and serene. All that Chloe was not.  
  
Just beneath the surface, she was rocked by unceasing visions; his hands traveling down her stomach, moving up between her legs. Worse than the memories were the feelings of shame and guilt that accompanied them. Because she never fought him. She should have done something. But she didn't – she let him rape her. {It's all my fault} a tiny voice said in her head.  
  
It's why she reacted so violently to her dreams. She was acting out her anger, rage at what he did to her, what he took from her. In her dreams she does what she wanted to do then – she kicks and screams, scratches and hits.  
  
With an effort, she pushed away the painful memories and instead focused on pleasant ones. Foremost in her mind was Brady. She brought to mind the ball. Had it been only two days ago? It felt like a lifetime ago that they were laughing, dancing, kissing. She had been amazed that he kissed her; even more amazed at her response. She had never felt that way, both safe and dangerous. She smiled, remembering his kiss. It had been both soft and rough. Gentle and demanding. The sheer force of his desire for her and frightened her, yet she also felt secure, knowing that Brady would never hurt her, never force her to do anything she didn't want to, wasn't ready for.  
  
{That's why he waited so long to tell me his feelings.} the thought hit her with blinding clarity. {Because I wasn't ready for him.} She thought back on their relationship, their friendship. Remembered how he always hung back, concentrating fully on just being her friend. She recalled the few times he had seemed on the verge of opening up, of saying something – only to change the subject.  
  
{He was waiting for me to get over Phillip. He let me decide on my own, without trying to force me or manipulate me.} She began to see Brady in a new light. He truly loved her – he had always loved her. Their past, their friendship, the time they spent together last summer – all took on a whole new meaning.  
  
{So where do we go from here?}{If I let what 'father' did to me keep Brady and me apart, then he wins – it means he's still controlling me, still affecting me.} Chloe felt her backbone stiffen as liquid steel flowed down her spine. {No.} she thought with a steely resolve. {Brady and I have come too far, gone through too much crap for me to give up now. Because of something that happened to me years ago.}  
  
She looked up into the sky. She set her jaw, a fierce determination in her cold blue eyes. {I am stronger than this. I will get through it. We both will.} She smiled to herself and resolved to go home and call Brady. She knew it would take her along time to feel comfortable in a relationship, but she also knew that just talking to Brady, hearing his voice, would make her feel better.  
  
As she got up to leave the pier, she heard a heavy footstep behind her. She whirled around to see a dark figure cloaked in shadow.  
  
"Brady?" she called out, fear suddenly trickling through her.  
  
The dark figure stepped out into the sunlight. The bright light lit up his features instantly and recognition hit her with the force of a wrecking ball.  
  
"You." She said softly, her breath catching in her throat. Then it all came rushing back to her. The phone calls, the flowers, the message in her locker, the mask in her room. She was paralyzed by fear; her feet lead weights, her head spinning. She dimly saw him advance on her through her blurred vision.  
  
"Yes, Chloe. It's your father."  
  
She swayed once and then fell into darkness. 


	50. Chapter Fourtynine

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 49  
  
Chloe struggled wearily for consciousness. With a great deal of effort, she slowly opened her eyes. A thick fog clouded her brain. It was so hard to think. She slowly took stock of her surroundings. Right away she noticed that she was lying on her side on a cold hardwood floor. It was very dark and stuffy. She wanted to hyperventilate. {Calm down Chloe. Breathe. It's okay.} She struggled to get in an upright position and immediately found that her hands had been tied tightly behind her back. The discovery sent cold chills of fear through her body. {Where am I? How did I get here?} Hot tears burned her eyes. She gradually remembered being on the pier and running into…  
  
"Father" she whispered out loud. {He was behind everything. He's the one who's been after me.} Her heart pounded in her ears. {I've got to get out of here!} Her sore arm muscles screamed when she tried to move them.  
  
"AAAH!" she cried aloud, wincing from the shooting pain up her arms. Apparently, her hands had been tied for quite some time. She moved slowly, gingerly to a sitting position. She then noticed a small, nickel sized bruise on her upper arm. She saw a mark that looked like it might have caused by a needle. {Was I drugged?} That would explain the pounding in her head and her difficulty thinking.  
  
{How long was I out?} Unfortunately, her watch was behind her back. She looked around for some clue. There was very little light to see by, but soon her eyes gradually adjusted. She was in a small room of what looked to be an old house. She did finally make out two windows that were heavily boarded. Starlight poured through tiny slits in the boards. {It's nighttime. I've been out at least five hours.} She tried to calm her racing heart. {I've got to get out of here, before he comes back.}  
  
She struggled to stand on her feet, which wasn't easy with her hands tied. She realized that it would be much easier to escape with her hands in front of her. After twisting and bending in ways that would make a contortionist scream in pain, she finally was able to move her arms down under her feet. She stepped through her arms and they were now in front of her. The pain in her arms subsided until there was just a dull ache.  
  
She was trying to open one of the windows when a door opened behind her. Bright light flooded the room from a handheld electric lamp, carried by a man she knew all too well.  
  
"Ah, I see Sleeping Beauty is finally awake. And trying to escape, no less. How brave, how courageous. How utterly futile. There is no escape, my sweet little Chloe. Not now. Not ever."  
  
  
  
Chloe slowly backed away from him, eyes wide with fear. She soon found herself in a corner, with nowhere to go. She looked away from him, she couldn't meet his eyes. The light from the lamp illuminated the room, and with a cold shock she realized where she was.  
  
"I.. I'm back in the house. I'm in the house." She began to cry, as memories of this house, of what happened in this house assaulted her. She was back in her room, her old bedroom, where he used to come into her bed at night. She closed her eyes and clutched her temples, trying to shut out the images. But they were too strong, too vivid.  
  
"I'm glad you remember our special place. I thought this would be a good place for you to die. It's only fitting. You betrayed me here, you should die here." He said, his voice surreally calm. An insane light blazed in his eyes.  
  
Chloe couldn't move, immobilized by fear and dread. She tried to speak, to stall him. "You're… supposed to be in jail."  
  
He laughed. "Oh, they let me out early. Good behavior and all that. Doesn't it make you feel proud to see American justice in action?" He stepped closer to her while he talked. "I thought about you, in prison. I thought about you every day. I remembered how it was when we were together, the love we shared. I could have even forgiven your betrayal. But one day a buddy of mine who had been released a few months earlier sent me some pictures he had found on the Internet."  
  
Chloe's blood froze in understanding. The operagirl.net site that had been set up as a cruel prank on Chloe.  
  
"Imagine my surprise. I'm rotting away in jail because of your vicious lies, and you're flaunting your body on the Internet. You did it just to taunt me. You always were such a little tease. Making fun of me with those pictures. But I had the last laugh. I had my buddy use that site to track you down, find out where you lived. Then as soon as I was released I went to find you. I've been watching you now for three months. I've been everywhere you've been. I know everyone you've been with. I know you already have a new boy not weeks after you dumped the last one. Slut!" he spat at her.  
  
"That was when I knew that you had to pay, for what you've done to me. You ruined my life. I had a good job. I was the head psychiatrist at Chicago General. But your lies ended it all and sent me to jail for three excruciatingly long years. Yes. You are going to pay. And not even your boy Brady will be able to save you from what I do to you."  
  
As Chloe listened to his insane tirade, one simple truth became abundantly clear to her. {He's insane. It wasn't my fault.} The mention of Brady's name fueled her courage, her strength. She felt her temper rise and smiled. Anger was better than fear. She stiffened her back and clenched her jaw. No matter what happened tonight, at least she would fight. {It's time this @$$hole got a taste of Chloe attitude.}  
  
"How did you ever become a psychiatrist? You're insane. And yet you treat others? Where did you get your degree?" She mocked.  
  
He sneered at her. "If I am insane, it's because you made me that way."  
  
"Oh, I made you rape me?" she accused.  
  
"Rape! Is that what you're calling it now?"  
  
"That's what it was – that's all it ever was." She replied bitingly.  
  
"You're wrong. It was love. The most beautiful love two people can share, and you betrayed that love! I gave you everything and you betrayed me!" He hit her viciously. He screamed at her and rained blows down on her face.  
  
She cowered as memories of her previous beatings assailed her mind. Fear threatened to overwhelm her. She wanted to shut down, run away in her mind. {Keep it together, Chloe. Don't let him win.} She was disoriented by the beating and the drugs that were still in her system. She fell to her knees.  
  
He moved forward, his eyes leering over her body. His voice was soft, deceptively gentle. "Even after all you've done to me, Chloe, I still love you." He ran his hands over her thick black sweater, and began to breathe rapidly.  
  
She tensed, unable to move from fear, assaulted by shame, guilt. She shut her eyes when his hands slipped under her sweater, fumbled with her bra.  
  
"You're so beautiful, Chloe." He breathed in her ear. Tears spilled from her eyes as he sloppily kissed her neck, hands all over her body. "How about it? One last go for old time's sake?" He sneered mockingly, pushing her down on the floor. "Be a good girl, Chloe, and make your father happy." Father. Chloe remembered her adoptive father, how much he had loved her. She then thought of Craig, who was as much her father as any man could be.  
  
He fumbled with his belt, and for a few brief seconds, his hands weren't on her. He shifted his weight off of her so he could undo his belt. At that moment, she acted.  
  
She brought her knee up into his gut while giving him a swift hard kick in the groin. The pain was multiplied greatly due to his arousal. As he hit the floor, she got to her feet and kicked him repeatedly in the stomach and groin.  
  
"You are NOT my FATHER!" she screamed at him. "This isn't LOVE! You don't know what love is!" She cried, venting years of rage, shame and grief at him. "Love gives, it doesn't take. It places the other person's needs ahead of your own. It is kind, gentle, thoughtful, and CONSENTUAL! You don't know what love is. And you never will." She gave him one final kick in the ribs, and took off running out the bedroom door.  
  
She was severely hampered by her bonds. Blood trickled out of her eyes due to the beating he gave her, and the drugs made her dizzy. She finally made it to the kitchen and the back door. Her joy quickly faded when the door refused to open. She desperately pulled on it and pushed, twisting the knob until it burned her palms. Nothing. It was locked. Then she saw the new deadbolt lock on the door. There was no getting out without the key.  
  
She quickly ran to the front door. It was locked as well, but also boarded. She ran to the living room window. It was also locked and boarded. She kicked at the glass, and was relieved when it broke on the third try. She ignored the deep cuts on her ankle and cleared the rest of the glass out of the windowpane. She grabbed a large shard of glass and tucked it in her black skirt. She began kicking at the boards, but they were made of a very heavy solid wood. She looked around for something heavy to beat against it. Her heart sank when she saw that the only items left in the room were a large sofa and chair. It was then that she heard footsteps.  
  
She ran out the other entrance to the room and ran up the back stairs to the second floor. She hid in a small linen closet. {I've got to untie my hands.} She took out the piece of glass and set about untying her bonds. By the time she was done, many minutes later, blood flowed from cuts on her hands and wrists. She tore off scraps from her skirt and fashioned makeshift bandages.  
  
She sat, squnched up in the closet, and tried to calm down. {What's my next move?} {I have to get the keys from him. There is no other way out. I can't break down the boards.} Then a thought occurred to her. {What about the windows on this floor? Would they be boarded also?} She listened for any sign of her attacker and quietly left the closet.  
  
She had taken five cautious steps down the hall, when she was suddenly tackled from behind. As she fell to the floor, her head cracked against a hall table. Bright flashes of light sparked in front of her eyes. Confusion crawled over her. She couldn't move, couldn't think, and couldn't react.  
  
"Bitch!" He yelled at her and kicked her hard in the ribs. Pain shot through her chest as they cracked. Her breath came in ragged, painful gasps. She could do nothing as he tore at her sweater. She couldn't even cry her tears of despair, hopelessness. No, she cried silently. Not again. As her 'father' moved closer to her, she cried out in her mind.  
  
{Brady! Save me!} 


	51. Chapter Fifty

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 50  
  
They touched down on a private runway at the Chicago airport. {Finally.} Brady thought. Even though they'd been cruising in one of the fastest private jets available to a civilian, it had seemed to Brady like they were crawling. Every minute that passed was one more minute that Chloe was in that bastard's clutches. He tried not to think about what might be happening to her, what might have already happened.  
  
Several Chicago police officers were waiting as the group from Salem departed the plane. An African-American woman stepped forward, an aura of authority radiating from her.  
  
"I'm Detective Tepil Shone and these are my men. Officers Haley, Harris and Ramsey."  
  
They all shook hands as the other introductions were made. Det. Shone spoke up, getting down to the business at hand. "Now what can we do for you?" she asked in a straightforward, no-nonsense tone.  
  
Abe spoke up. "Well Det. Shone, as I mentioned on the phone, we have reason to believe that a man who was recently released from prison abducted a teenage girl from our town and brought her here. The girl's name is Chloe Lane, and these are her parents Craig and Nancy Wesley."  
  
At the mention of Chloe's name, Det. Shone frowned slightly. {Damn, that name sounded familiar.}  
  
Abe continued speaking. "The man who abducted her is a convicted sex offender from Chicago. His name is Aaron Moore."  
  
Det. Shone sighed deeply as the puzzle pieces fell into place. One of her men swore softly.  
  
Bo observed their reactions to the name. "I take it you've heard of him?"  
  
Her charcoal brown eyes hardened. "There isn't a soul in this city who doesn't know of Dr. Moore." She paused. "And this Chloe Lane, she's the same brave girl who testified against him and put him away."  
  
"For all the good it did her." Brady muttered bitterly.  
  
Det. Shone understood Brady's anger and frustration. "I know what you're feeling. I've walked this beat a long time. I long ago stopped being surprised by the cruelty of man. But what that sick bastard did to that little girl, it rocked this city to the core. We all put in a lot of long hours, worked unpaid overtime to make sure that he was arrested and found guilty. And now he's free after serving only three years of a fifteen-year sentence? F*CK!" she swore loudly.  
  
Abe, Bo and Roman empathized with her. They too knew what it was like to work long and hard to get a dangerous criminal off the street, only for him to be released because of a technicality, or serve a ridiculously short prison term.  
  
Det. Shone shook off her anger and sprang into action. "Okay, we need to scour the streets. This man has no money, so he's squatting somewhere. Check empty businesses, abandoned warehouses, condemned buildings. Call the local hospitals; he may have tried to use his old position as a doctor to obtain drugs, supplies, etc. Update me every thirty minutes. Move out." She turned to the Salem crowd. "Our base of operations will be our police headquarters. If you'll follow me."  
  
An hour and a half later, Brady was restlessly pacing the detective's small office. Abe, Bo, Roman and John had gone on patrol with members of Chicago PD, leaving Marlena, Nancy, Craig and Brady behind at headquarters. The detective was on the phone, using all her resources, official or otherwise, to get any kind of information on Dr. Moore.  
  
They still had no clue as to his whereabouts. Chicago was just too large a city, not counting the many suburbs. He could be anywhere.  
  
A feeling of dread settled over Brady, growing heavier and heavier. He could feel that Chloe was in grave danger. And he was utterly helpless. He struggled to breathe in the oppressively heavy air of the cramped office. He shook off Marlena's attempt to comfort him. He did not need sympathy right now. "I'm going out for some air."  
  
Det. Shone watched him leave. "He really loves her, doesn't he?"  
  
  
  
Brady stood outside, a short distance from the police station and looked up into the sky. Although it had been overcast in Salem, the sky was clear in Chicago. The sun had set during their flight.  
  
As Brady looked up into the clear, night sky, at all the twinkling stars, he was hit suddenly with a sense of déjà vu. He stared deeply at the stars, once again feeling that someone was trying to send him a message. He stared intently at the sky, focused deeply on the stars. Maybe they were trying to tell him something. He stared and stared but all he saw were those same #@$* blinking lights. Brady swore under her breath. Somewhere his missing self, his soul mate was in danger, and he was star gazing.  
  
"You're trying too hard." A soft, lilting voice laughed in his head. "Listen to the language of your soul." She said.  
  
Brady was caressed then by a gentle breeze. He closed his eyes. That voice. He'd heard that voice before, once upon a time. That voice used to sing him to sleep at night and coo to him during the day. He felt her presence so strongly, he was sure he could physically touch her.  
  
"Mom?" he called out, his voice soft and thick with emotion.  
  
The musical voice laughed with joy and pride. "Hi, sweetie."  
  
Brady struggled to control his emotions. "M-Mom," he choked out. "You've been helping me, haven't you? Helping me find Chloe."  
  
"I've been helping you find Chloe your entire life." She replied, her voice singing out to him. "When you were born, when you were conceived even, I knew you were special. You were destined to live a special life and love a special woman. And the love you and Chloe share IS special. It happens only once in a lifetime, so grab onto it and don't let go." Her voice began to fade.  
  
"Wait! I have to find her first." He cried.  
  
"Listen to the language of your soul. I love you Brady. I will always love you." She said. There was one last rustling breeze, and then she was gone.  
  
"I love you, Mom." {the language of my soul, huh.} He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat, trying to control his chaotic thoughts. He continued a steady breathing pattern and looked back up at the sky. {The language of my soul.}  
  
{Our connection. It has to be. I've been able to feel her before, even hear her thoughts. Maybe it will work again.} He inhaled deeply and then reached out for her with his soul. He concentrated solely on Chloe. He thought about her shining sapphire eyes and her brilliant smile. He kept reaching out for her with his mind. Minutes passed….  
  
Suddenly a piercing scream rang through his head.  
  
Brady! Save me! Brady's heart raced, hearing the absolute terror in her thoughts.  
  
Chloe? Where are you?   
  
He saw the address in her mind. Hang on, Chloe. I'll be right there! I'm coming Chloe. As their connection ended he saw her terror, a large man looming over her, ripping her clothes off.  
  
He saw a pay phone in the parking lot and ran to it. He grabbed the phone book and got directions using the maps. He jumped in the car they had rented from the airport and sped off toward Chloe's location. He was there in twenty minutes, praying he was not too late.  
  
He saw an old, decrepit house that had been boarded up. He sneaked around to one of the windows and pried loose one of the boards. He peered inside.  
  
What he saw made his heart stop. 


	52. Chapter Fiftyone

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 51  
  
  
  
Brady! Save me! she cried out with her mind. She struggled uselessly against her attacker. She tried to catch her breath despite the stabbing fiery pain in her chest. She coughed violently and tasted blood in her mouth. She focused past the excruciating pain in her head to her surroundings and tried to clear her head. She tried to fight the swelling panic and despair.  
  
Brady. She thought helplessly as her 'father' tore her sweater off. As he groped and fondled her, she cried, small tears dripping down her chin. She couldn't move, she couldn't fight. She knew there was only one escape. Through the mind. {Come on Chloe. Shut down. You've done this before.} She pictured herself running through the vast tunnels of her mind. She flicked switches on the walls, shutting down the neural pathways and synapses in her brain. Once she had hit all the switches, then she would be safe, inside her shell, untouchable by the outside world. She would be catatonic, a vegetable, and she wouldn't care what he did to her.  
  
She paused before the last switch. {He's going to kill you.} a small voice of reason echoed in her mind. {He's going to kill me anyway, at least this way I won't know it, or feel it.} She thought about Brady, and felt a sudden pang of deep regret and longing. {He's never going to find me. It's hopeless.}  
  
She heard Belle's voice in her mind, replaying what she had told her once. "Brady would never let anything happen to you. He's saved you once before, he'll do it again. He's a hero." Brady. She thought about their connection, how even when they had just met, they had known each other deeply. She remembered the ball, how she had been able to hear his thoughts and project her own. Would it work again?  
  
She focused solely on Brady, pushing her 'father' and what was happening to her out of her mind. She thought about those blue eyes that looked right through her soul. She pictured that warm smile that made her feel special. She remembered his strong embrace that made her feel safe, and loved.  
  
She held those thoughts firmly in her head and with every ounce of strength, she called out to him. She projected her thoughts, her emotions, her love to him, wherever he was.  
  
Brady! Save me! she cried out to her soul mate.  
  
Chloe? Where are you? she wanted to cry, joyous hope erupting in her heart.  
  
611 Robin's Nest Lane. she remembered the address and sent it to him.  
  
Hang on, Chloe. I'll be right there! I'm coming, Chloe. She heard his warm strong voice, and was strengthened. {Brady's coming for me! I have to stay alive until he gets here.}  
  
Chloe came back to herself and shuddered in disgust to find him rubbing against her. She could feel the proof of his arousal against her thighs, and fought the urge to throw up. Her brief contact with Brady had strengthened her, given her courage. {I have to survive, for myself and for Brady.} She heard Belle's voice in her head again. "He would be devastated if anything ever happened to you."  
  
Chloe once again felt liquid steel flowing through her spine, hardening, strengthening her backbone. As she became one with her inner woman, she felt a white hot rage build inside her. Power surged through her.  
  
As the monster made ready to enter her, she drove the heel of her palm up and rammed it against his nose. There was an audible POP and blood gushed from his nostrils. He screamed in pain and clutched his nose with both hands. She once again kicked him in the groin and stomach, and scrambled to her feet. She had learned from earlier that this wouldn't keep him down long; in fact he was already stumbling to his feet. She bolted out the room and flew down the stairs. She made it to the dining room, but he was hot on her heels. He soon had her cornered. She glanced around the room for a weapon of some kind. Nothing.  
  
She smiled menacingly. Nothing but herself. She let loose a primal scream of rage and launched herself at her attacker. She ignored the throbbing in her head and the burning pain in her chest. She punched him repeatedly, not letting up for an instant. She spun around and kicked at him, her ankle clocking his temple. He stumbled backward from the force of her blow, and she continued hitting him. She punched him again in the nose, and snarled to feel the grinding of the broken bones. She kicked him savagely in the groin, kicked at his kneecaps. She couldn't stop; she was caught in a berserker rage, a fury so animalistic, it couldn't be contained. She thought of every time he raped her. She thought of every beating she ever received. She thought of every man who'd ever leered at her body. And she hit him.  
  
As minutes of this passed, her fury began to abate, and reason again took control. She frowned when she noticed that she wasn't really doing him any damage. He was hurting yes, but other than his broken nose; he was still pretty much whole, and still capable of inflicting damage on her. She punched him hard in the face, throwing her body weight into the blow, and observed his reaction. She saw him move backward with her fist, watched him throw his head back. He was rolling with her punches; using her momentum to deflect most of the force she threw at him. The only damage inflicted was external; internally, he was fine. The only outcome of their battle was that Chloe was now seriously winded and nearing the last of her strength.  
  
Chloe stared horrified as he straightened himself up. He wiped the blood off his face and stared at her, his eyes mocking her. He smiled evilly. "Feel better now?"  
  
She backed away from him in disbelief as he advanced forward. {How can he still be moving? How can he still be alive?}  
  
As if reading her thoughts, her 'father' spoke up. "I really must congratulate you. Those were some mighty impressive moves. That flying kick you gave me should have taken my head off. Should have, but didn't."  
  
Chloe struggled to breathe, her injuries were screaming at her. She was especially worried about her cracked ribs. She coughed repeatedly, and felt liquid in her lungs. She clutched her sides, and was immediately aware of her near naked state. Her sweater had been ripped off earlier and one of her bra straps had snapped. Her skirt hung by tattered shreds.  
  
Her adrenaline gone; she felt weariness settle over her. Her body felt so heavy. All of her effort, all that fighting had been for naught. She couldn't beat him, she couldn't stop him. He was going to win. She felt so sad; she was drowning in despair, hopelessness.  
  
He continued speaking, reading the defeat in her eyes. "That was one of the benefits of spending three years in prison. If you want to survive the daily fights with your fellow inmates, then you have to learn how to take a punch. Then there are also the workouts in the gym. Four hours of lifting weights everyday have made me stronger than most men, and also given me endurance. Which, I see my dear, you do not have."  
  
His gaze hardened. "However, you have managed to hurt me. So I have decided to move straight to the big finish." He said slowly, while pulling a gun from behind his back and pointing it at her head.  
  
His eyes clouded briefly and a crazed smile graced his face. "I will still have you. Dead or alive. Makes no difference to me. In fact, I think that I'll prefer you dead. You're pretty much a lump in the sack anyway." He sneered at her.  
  
Fear and revulsion crawled over her skin. {Brady, where are you?} she cried, useless tears washing her cheeks.  
  
He cocked the hammer back on the gun and took aim. "Goodbye, my sweet little Chloe. It's been fun." He threw back his head and laughed.  
  
Chloe closed her eyes. {I love you Brady.}  
  
He pulled the trigger.  
  
And was knocked off his feet by a flying tackle. 


	53. Chapter Fiftytwo

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 52  
  
Brady pried the boards loose from the windows and peered inside. He could see into what looked to be a dimly lit living room. The light came from an adjoining room where there was small emergency lamp. He looked through the window for a sign of Chloe. He saw her in the lamp lit room.  
  
And his heart stopped.  
  
She was half naked. Her face was swollen and puffy, and blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. There looked to be deep slashes on one ankle and on her wrists. He noticed that she clutched her sides. Then he saw the large red splotch on the side of her chest on her ribcage. His stomach twisted at the sight of her wounds. She was hurting.  
  
He pushed her pain out of his mind. Brady had called his father on the way here on his cell phone. They were on their way here but Brady knew it could be a while before they arrived. So it was up to him to save Chloe. {Where's Moore?} he thought.  
  
Then he saw him, just behind her. Brady wondered at his wounds, he seemed to be hurt himself. Had Chloe done that? Brady watched Moore sneer at Chloe and then pull a gun out from behind his back and point it at her. {No!} He leapt through the previously broken window and ran through the living room as Moore cocked the hammer. Brady entered the dining room as he took aim. Brady jumped into the air as Moore pulled the trigger.  
  
  
  
Time had stopped for Chloe when Moore pulled out the gun and pointed it at her. So many thoughts ran through her mind as he cocked the gun.  
  
Regrets. Wishes. Memories.  
  
He took aim at her heart.  
  
Friends. Family.  
  
He pulled the trigger.  
  
Love.  
  
She saw Brady out of the corner of her eye, flying slow motion through the air on a collision course with Moore.  
  
Indescribable happiness flooded her at the sight.  
  
{Brady! He came for me!}  
  
Brady slammed full force into him, knocking off his aim just as the bullet was leaving the barrel, changing its course by only a few degrees.  
  
But it was enough. Instead of ripping through her heart, the bullet tore through her shoulder.  
  
Chloe saw the bullet heading toward her, frozen in shock. Pain seared her shoulder as the bullet punched into it. The bone shattered as the bullet tore through it. Then the bullet ripped through the other side and became embedded in the wall behind her.  
  
Chloe stood in a foggy haze. She looked over at her left shoulder, at the gaping wound. She was fascinated to see muscle tissue and bone fragments. Blood gushed from both wounds, front and back. She looked at her shoulder. {Huh, I've been shot.}  
  
  
  
Brady slammed into Moore and they both crashed to the ground. The gun flew from Moore's grasp and slid across the wooden floor, far from anyone's reach. Brady landed on top and pounded on him. "You f*cking bastard!" He threw a vicious right jab at his already broken nose.  
  
Moore rolled and threw Brady off of him. Both men jumped to their feet and circled each other wearily. Moore attacked with a verbal thrust designed to enrage Brady. He was counting on Brady being hot-tempered, impairing his ability to fight. He taunted Brady, "If you want, you can have her when I'm done with her." He laughed cruelly.  
  
It didn't work. True, Brady got hot when he was a little angry, frustrated or annoyed. But when he was really angry, like someone is threatening someone he loves angry, then he doesn't get hot. He gets cold. Like ice.  
  
Brady's icy exterior deflected the jab, while he studied his opponent for weaknesses, taking note of his wounds.  
  
After sizing each other up, at an unspoken signal, they attacked. Brady sidestepped Moore's punch and grabbed his wrist. Moore's momentum was turned against him as Brady twisted his arm up and around. Brady struck the back of Moore's elbow with the palm of his hand and smiled in satisfaction when the joint dislocated.  
  
Moore yelled out in pain and launched himself at Brady. Brady rolled with the attack and again let his opponent's momentum carry them to the ground. He continued rolling and kicked Moore up onto his back. Brady landed on top, his thighs straddling Moore's chest.  
  
{Looks like all those Karate lessons Dad made me take are beginning to pay off.} Brady thought. He took a quick second to glance at Chloe. She was standing in shock looking at her shoulder. That's when he saw the blood pouring from the hole in her shoulder.  
  
"No! Chloe!" he cried.  
  
  
  
{Huh, I've been shot.} She stared at her shoulder in shock, oblivious to the battle raging around her. Soon though, the pain in her shoulder broke through her daze. {I've been shot!} She suddenly realized. She ripped off a few more scraps from her skirt and pressed them against the wounds, trying to slow the flow of blood. She already felt dizzy and lightheaded, from loss of blood, combined with the score of other injuries she had already sustained. Using her teeth and her hands, she tied the scraps tightly around her shoulder. {That should do it until we get to a hospital. Of course, if we don't stop that monster soon, it won't matter.} She looked back at the men, racking her brain for a way to help.  
  
  
  
Brady was on top of Moore, looking at Chloe, concerned to see her frozen in shock, blood pouring from the gunshot wound on her shoulder. Moore lay underneath Brady, noticing his inattention. {The kid knows a few tricks, huh?} Unfortunately, he had a few tricks of his own. He rocked back on his shoulder blades and threw his legs up in the air. He brought them around and forward, knocking Brady in the chest. He knocked Brady off him and staggered to his feet.  
  
Brady jumped to his feet and whirled to face Moore. Chloe stood there and watched the two men battle each other with everything they had. Vicious blows were exchanged; neither side giving quarter. She cringed when Moore landed a swift kick squarely in Brady's ribs. Brady just shook it off. He focused on only one thing: the bastard in front of him. He ducked beneath Moore's punch and took his legs out beneath him with a sweeping kick. Dr. Moore landed hard on his back, but rolled quickly, avoiding Brady's punch. He jumped back up on his legs just in time to be clocked across the temple by Brady's roundhouse kick. The heel of Brady's shoe sliced at his head, and blood poured freely from the wound. He staggered under the onslaught of Brady's relentless attack, reeling from repeated blows.  
  
Dr. Moore was quickly learning that unlike Chloe, this kid knew how to fight, and inflict serious damage. He groaned when Brady punched him in the kidneys. {I've got to end this now.} He blocked Brady's blows and searched for the gun that had been knocked from his hand earlier. He saw it on the floor and scrambled to it. Brady tried to stop him but he was too late as Moore brought the gun up and aimed it at Brady.  
  
Chloe stood frozen in horror. Moore had broken away from Brady's attack and was now pointing a gun at him. Why does this seem so familiar? Suddenly a vision rocked through her mind.  
  
  
  
She looked down at the babe in her arm and smiled wryly. {This kid can sleep through anything.} Anything being their mad escape through the twisting tunnels beneath Cassidy Keep. Her other hand clutched tightly to her husband's, her love's. He smiled his reassurance at her. She was hit by an overwhelming feeling of love for the man at her side. She couldn't remember her life before him. She couldn't imagine it without him.  
  
He squeezed her hand. "We're almost there, m'love. Almost free." She looked behind her. Her brother and his wife were behind them, protecting their backs while they escaped.  
  
They rounded the last bend and stopped cold. He was in front of them, laughing mockingly at them. His deep voice rang through the stone tunnels. "Did you really think you could escape me, Brady?"  
  
Her husband boldly stepped in front of her, shielding her and their baby. She saw the blinding flash and tried to save him but she was too late. She felt it in her soul. Her soul mate, her missing half was dead, dead before his body even hit the cold ground.  
  
She felt her heart being ripped in two, her soul torn in half. As his soul departed she called for him. "Sheamus!"  
  
  
  
With a start, Chloe came back to herself. {What the hell was that?} She saw Moore aim a gun at Brady. {NO! Not again! I have to save him!} She felt behind her and brushed against the glass shard that she had tucked into her skirt earlier. She slowly removed it and held it ready in her hand. She advanced on Moore, careful not to attract his attention.  
  
Fortunately, his back was to her. He cocked the hammer back and Chloe acted. She drove the glass deep in the flesh of his lower back and twisted it viciously. As Moore reacted to this new attack, Brady spun and kicked the gun out of his hand. It flew across the room.  
  
"No!" Dr. Moore screamed and lunged for the gun. Chloe watched as both men scrambled for the gun. She felt herself growing weaker, as her countless injuries took their toll.  
  
Moore made it first, snatching the gun and bringing it to bear on Chloe. He didn't hesitate as he yelled, "Die Bitch!" and fired.  
  
Brady had seconds to act. He was too far away from either Chloe or Moore, so he did the only thing he could.  
  
Chloe watched in stunned silence as her love jumped up into the path of her bullet, taking it in his body. He dropped to the ground, and didn't move.  
  
{no. NO!} her soul screamed in silence. She knelt and cradled Brady's motionless body, bathing his face with her tears. She pleaded with him to come back to her. {I lost you once, my love. I can't lose you again.} She caressed his beautiful face lovingly. She cried in panic and despair as his color paled, his life's blood rushing from his body. {No.} She looked up at Moore, a white-hot murderous fire burning in her.  
  
Moore sneered at her. "Stupid kid. Now you're both going to die." He aimed the gun at her and fired.  
  
The bullet never reached her. The fire burning in her had exploded in fury. A primal scream of rage erupted from her throat with the force of a shock wave. Her scream pulverized the bullet into a small pile of metallic ash. Moore didn't have a chance to process what he saw as the force wave slammed into him, picking him up off his feet and throwing him through the wall behind him. He fell to the floor in a boneless heap.  
  
The scream faded into the distance. Her fire burned low, extinguished by her renewed despair. She looked down at Brady's pale face, feeling weariness overtake her. She kissed his lips softly, tears dropping on his closed eyelids. Her strength fled from her; her vision blurred and grew dark. {I will see you soon, my love. We'll be together again.} She kissed him once more and faded into the darkness.  
  
  
  
"John! Over here!" John ran toward Roman's voice. Roman and Bo had arrived just scant seconds earlier. "Here. Through this window." The four Salem men plus a few Chicago officers climbed through the window. They looked around cautiously.  
  
"It's quiet in here. I don't like it." Roman commented. He headed toward the light coming from the next room. All the officers had guns drawn at the ready.  
  
They froze in shock upon entering the dining room. Chloe and Brady were lying in a bloody pile on the floor, covered in wounds. The opposite wall looked like a wrecking ball had smashed into it. They could not see Moore's broken body for all the wreckage of the wall.  
  
John ran over to Chloe and Brady. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he felt their pulses. "They're still alive, but just barely. Call Craig and have him meet us at the closest hospital. We have to get these two there, now!"  
  
John carefully pulled Brady up on his feet, supporting his weight with his shoulder. Brady groaned and slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"Brady! Son, can you here me? Are you okay?"  
  
"Dad?" He tried to focus against the shooting pain in his lower back. He snapped his head up. "Chloe! Where is she?" He saw Bo carrying her and limped painfully to her. He grabbed her hand. "Chloe, come on. Be okay. Please?"  
  
Abe had gone to call Craig, and the Chicago men were notifying the hospital of their impending arrival. Bo was leaving with Chloe, leaving John, Brady and Roman in the rear. The men jumped as they heard a sound behind them. They turned to see Dr. Moore standing there pointing a gun at Brady.  
  
Moore was on his last legs. He was dying, and he knew it. But he would not die before he got his revenge. He smiled insanely, remembering Chloe's heartbreak when she believed Brady dead. If he couldn't kill her, then he'd do the next best thing. He began to pull the trigger.  
  
Roman was faster. His bullet ripped through Moore's brain before the doctor could pull the trigger. He fell to the ground. Dead. Roman checked his pulse to be sure.  
  
Brady nodded his thanks to Roman and the three men wordlessly left the building. 


	54. Chapter Fiftythree

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 52  
  
John paced the packed waiting room; deep worry lines etched in his face. Marlena handed him a cup of coffee and rubbed his back. He accepted the cup and smiled his thanks. Right now his thought were on Brady and Chloe.  
  
He had been greatly relieved when Brady regained consciousness. The bullet appeared to have done little damage, having entered his lower back. He was so glad that Brady could still walk – he wasn't paralyzed. Brady had lost a lot of blood, but was going to be okay.  
  
Chloe, however, was a whole other story. His stomach had twisted in a giant rock-hard knot at his first sight of her. He nearly choked on his anger to see what that damn bastard had done to her. She was a bloody, bruised mess from head to toe. Her face was so covered with swollen, dark purple bruises that she was nearly unrecognizable. Blood from countless cuts and scrapes flowed in rivers all over her nearly naked body. Blood also continued to seep from her gunshot wound despite her best efforts to stop it.  
  
As a mercenary under Stefano Dimera's control, John had seen a lot of horrible sights, and committed a lot of horrible deeds. But he knew that the image of Chloe's broken, bloody body would stay with him forever, as one of the worst things he had ever seen. John closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Chloe had to be okay. Brady would be broken otherwise. She has to be okay.  
  
John glanced around the waiting room at the others assembled there. Marlena was doing her best to comfort Nancy, while Craig was consulting with a nurse. {Poor Craig,} John thought wryly. {He wants to help so much, but he can't because of his relationship to Chloe.}  
  
John walked over to Craig just as the nurse was speaking. "I appreciate your concern, Dr. Wesley, but I assure you that the best doctors and surgeons are treating Chloe as we speak. She's in the best possible care." The nurse gave him a reassuring smile and left.  
  
John spoke up, placing a hand on Craig's tense shoulder. "She's right, you know. Chicago General has some of the best doctors in the country on staff."  
  
"But what if something goes wrong? What if they make a mistake? I should be in there. That's my daughter in there."  
  
"She's going to make it. She's a very strong, brave young woman. Think of everything she has already endured. She's tough." John assured him.  
  
Thirty minutes passed in the quiet room, then an hour. Bo was talking to Shawn on his cell. Bo offered the phone to John. "Want to talk to Belle? She is staying at our place with Hope and Shawn while we're here."  
  
John took the phone gratefully. "Belle," he breathed happily. Worrying about Chloe had made him think of his own daughter. He prayed that Belle would never know the kind of pain that Chloe has.  
  
"We're fine IzzyB. We found Chloe. She and Brady are both being treated right now. Why? Well, honey remain calm okay. Brady's going to be fine, but he was kind of – shot. Yes, again. In the lower back. He was walking earlier, so he's fine. The doctors are just going to remove the bullet and stitch him back up."  
  
John took a deep breath before continuing. "Chloe's condition is a little more serious, honey. They are operating on her now; she had a great deal of injuries. But I have faith that she will be fine too. Honey, please don't cry – they are going to be fine. It's Christmas, and you know that Christmas miracles are our stock in trade." He smiled into the phone.  
  
"Well, here's what you can do. Go with Hope and Shawn to Christmas Mass and pray for us. Pray that we'll be able to come home soon with the two healthy young people that we love so much. Okay? Get everyone to pray. It will be easy for you. Nobody rallies the troops like you do. I love you too, honey. Merry Christmas." John hung up the phone.  
  
"Is it Christmas already?" Bo asked, taking his phone back.  
  
"Well, technically not for a few more hours."  
  
Bo frowned in thought. "Crap. I had planned on doing my Christmas shopping this afternoon, but a 'little something' came up. I don't suppose there is anything open now, do you?"  
  
"This late on Christmas Eve? Uh, No. You mean you haven't gotten ANYTHING yet?"  
  
"No. Have you?"  
  
"Uh. No."  
  
"Gift shop?"  
  
"Gift shop."  
  
Marlena and Nancy watched the two men leave the waiting room. Marlena rolled her eyes. "Men. I swear if I open up just one present that has 'Congratulations!' anywhere on it, I am going to kill that man."  
  
Nancy laughed, grateful for the distraction from her anxious thoughts.  
  
Twenty minutes later the two men returned with wide grins on their faces and heavy bags on their arms. "Success!" they cried.  
  
John went to hug Marlena, who stepped back from him. "I am not talking to you." She told her husband. John sheepishly reached into one of the bags and pulled out a little teddy bear. He gave her his best puppy face and held the bear up out in front of her.  
  
"Uh. Congratulations?" he said.  
  
Marlena glowered at her clueless husband and left him to sit with Nancy.  
  
"My friend, I believe we are in the doghouse." Bo commented with a sigh.  
  
John was about to reply when a doctor entered the waiting room. Craig was the first to leap out of his chair. John came up to stand beside him.  
  
Dr. Allred addressed John. "Mr. Black, we have successfully removed the bullet from your son's body. It had entered high in the left buttock and become lodged in his pelvic bone. There was fortunately little damage and the bullet was removed with relative ease. He is doing fine now, and can receive visitors."  
  
Dr. Allred inhaled deeply and turned to Craig. "Dr. Wesley, Chloe has suffered a large number of injuries. At the moment we are most concerned with her two cracked ribs. The bones punctured her lung and fluid had been building inside. We drained the fluid out of the lung and repaired the tear. We also set her ribs. They should heal together nicely.  
  
She also, as you know, was shot in the left shoulder. The bullet passed straight through, but also splintered the bone. We inserted a few metal pins and brackets to hold the bone fragments together while they set.  
  
Also she has a very mild concussion, caused by a sharp blow to the head. But her CAT scans are fine and there is no swelling.  
  
She had a large number of cuts on her body, including a deep gash on her ankle and some deep cuts on her wrists. She lost a lot of blood, which we are replacing now."  
  
He dropped his voice lower. "Dr. Wesley, we also examined her, as you requested. I am pleased to report that we found no evidence of sexual assault. There are a few bruises on her thighs, but that is it."  
  
Craig exhaled loudly and his shoulders slumped in relief. {Thank God in Heaven.}  
  
"We have treated all her injuries, and she should regain consciousness shortly. Normally, I would want her to stay a few more days, but since it is Christmas and you are a doctor, then I will agree to release them both once Chloe wakes up." Dr. Allred smiled at the men.  
  
There was a small explosion of happy chatter at the good news. Dr. Allred spoke up, "However, Brady is to take it easy this week and he should probably see a physical therapist at least once. Chloe is to stay in bed for a week, no exceptions. After that, she should take it easy for a month, to give her body a chance to recover from all her injuries and rebuild her strength. She will definitely need physical therapy for her shoulder and chest. And both of them should probably see a counselor too."  
  
"Oh, don't worry. They will." Marlena spoke up. Soft chuckles were heard in the room. Everyone felt so relieved and happy.  
  
John couldn't restrain himself any longer. "I'm going to see Brady." 


	55. Chapter Fiftyfour

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 54  
  
John entered Brady's room just as Brady was pulling on the last of his clothing. The doctors had given him scrub bottoms to wear instead of his tight jeans, which would have aggravated his wound. Also, the jeans were covered in his and Chloe's blood and were now being incinerated. Brady rushed over to his father. John enveloped his son in a tight hug, so grateful that his boy was okay.  
  
Brady slowly broke out of his father's embrace. His terrified blue eyes locked onto his father's. "Dad, how is she? Is she okay?" The words flew out of his mouth quickly.  
  
"She is still unconscious, but the doctors say that she will be okay. She had a lot of injuries, but they will heal. As soon as she comes to, we can all leave."  
  
Brady sighed deeply, relief washing over him. His strength fled from his body and he suddenly felt weak. He clutched a chair for support and slowly sank down on it, wincing at the pain from his sore bottom.  
  
"Oh my God." He breathed, as the evening's events settled in his mind. He had been on non-stop adrenaline rush since Chloe turned up missing. It had taken so long just to find out that she had been kidnapped, even longer to find her location. And then, when he first saw her, dead on her feet, battered and beaten; he felt physically ill. He remembered her almost naked state, and a horrible thought came to him. A thought that he had been keeping out of his mind.  
  
He looked up at his father, tears welling in his eyes. "Dad, tell me he didn't…, tell me she wasn't…, Oh, God, please no…"  
  
John grabbed his son's shoulders lightly. "No, he didn't. They examined her, and she wasn't raped. You got there just in time, Brady."  
  
Brady cried, overwhelmed by a million emotions that he had kept tightly bottled up that evening. John threw his arms around him. "Let it out, son. It's okay. You and Chloe have been through the worst kind of Hell tonight, so just let it out. You did it, Brady. You saved her. Dr. Moore is dead, he can't hurt Chloe any longer." John continued to hold his silently weeping son, while he released his pent-up fear, sadness, and joy. Brady shook gently, suffering a type of emotional shock.  
  
Minutes passed and the tide of emotions ebbed. Brady pulled himself together. He thought he would feel weak after his emotional display, but instead he felt stronger. She was okay. He was okay. They were both okay. He smiled at John, feeling himself return to normal. He grimaced in pain.  
  
"I can't believe I got shot. Again. Carl's gonna kill me." Brady grinned, with an attempt at humor.  
  
"And in the butt, too. You just can't keep your ass out of trouble can you?" John grinned, glad to see Brady's humor back.  
  
Brady swatted his father's chest. "Ha. Ha."  
  
"Hey, can we come in?" Bo stood at the slightly open door, Abe and Roman just behind him.  
  
"Yeah, come on in. What's the word with the Chicago boys?" John asked.  
  
"They are putting the finishing touches on the case as we speak. Dr. Moore's death is being ruled as self defense, even though, technically, Roman jumped the gun, so to speak, when he fired before Moore did." Abe replied. "Otherwise, Roman could be facing suspension."  
  
"If he had waited for Moore to fire, then my son would be dead." John argued.  
  
"We know that. Chicago PD knows that. That's why it's being called an act of self-defense. Chicago will back us up on that. The case is pretty much closed." Bo said.  
  
"That's pretty fast." John commented.  
  
"Those officers worked hard to put him in jail years ago, and when he was released; it was for them unfinished business. They needed to close the case quickly, for closure. And that's why they aren't going to question Roman's actions tonight. In fact, most of those men wish that they had been the one to pull the trigger." Abe said.  
  
Brady looked at Roman, who hung back quietly, his face grim. Brady had been so angry with Roman for so long. True, Roman had accidentally shot Brady, but his hatred of Roman actually went before then. He tried to find the reason for his anger, but couldn't. In any case, this man saved his life.  
  
"Roman, I didn't tell you before, but thank you. I owe you." Brady said quietly.  
  
Roman looked at Brady and smiled tenderly. He hoped they could maybe mend their relationship. Roman had always been fond of Brady when he was a child. "Don't mention it. But, truth be told, I didn't do it for you. Hell, I wasn't even thinking of you when I shot Moore."  
  
"Why did you do it?" John asked.  
  
Roman's face darkened visibly. His jaw was hard set, and his eyes lost focus. "I did it for Sami." He said simply.  
  
The men in the room nodded in understanding. Brady, however, was clueless.  
  
Roman continued. "I looked at that sick bastard and saw the punk kid who raped my daughter years ago. I wasn't there for Sami, then. I couldn't save her. But I thought, here, now, I can save Chloe. Maybe I needed closure, too." Roman said with a small smile.  
  
Brady's mind was spinning. Sami was raped? He wondered why no one ever told him. {No wonder she's so screwed up.} He saw Sami in a new light, and began to feel, just a little bit sorry for her.  
  
Bo decided to lighten the mood. At Brady's expense of course. "So, kid. Shot again, huh? And in such a place." He joked. The men in the room chuckled, glad to shake off their darker emotions, for the moment at least.  
  
Brady groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why did it have to be the butt? Here I am, doing this wonderfully heroic thing and throwing myself in front of Chloe to save her life and where does the bullet enter? Of all the places on my body, it chooses my butt?"  
  
Laughter echoed in the small room. "I'm so glad my pain amuses you."  
  
Roman held up his hands in surrender. "I'm just glad I wasn't the one to shoot you this time."  
  
"Me too." Abe replied, chuckling. "Although, I must say, it is kind of fitting. I mean, you were a pain in the ass for so long, when you first came to town. Maybe it's divine retribution." More laughter as the men teased Brady mercilessly.  
  
"Pain in the ass. That's good. Any one else want to make a crack about my butt wound?" Brady said good-naturedly.  
  
"Crack!" Bo repeated and roared into laughter.  
  
John wiped his eyes. "All right, calm down. My son is tired of being the butt of everyone's jokes." He cracked up in another fit of laughter.  
  
Brady rolled his eyes. {I can't believe I know these people. I can't believe I'm related to some of these people.} He was going to say something when the door opened to reveal Craig in the doorway. And just beyond Craig was…  
  
"Chloe." Brady breathed standing up quickly. Chloe hung back behind Craig, clutching him for moral support. She wanted to go in there, to see Brady, but there were so many men in there. She couldn't be near men, yet after everything she'd been through. Craig was the one exception, because he wasn't a Man. He was her father. Genetics didn't matter. She knew that now.  
  
John saw the fear, the trepidation in Chloe's eyes, and understood. "We'll see you soon, son." And he and the men exited the room. Once the men were a safe distance a way, Chloe went forward a little into the room. She looked back at Craig.  
  
"I'll be right outside, okay, Chloe?" She nodded. Chloe was also dressed in scrubs, her black clothing useless scraps. Brady took in her appearance and once again wanted to cry. She was so heavily bandaged on her face and head. She walked so slowly; it was obvious, that she was in pain.  
  
He went forward to her, but stopped a short distance in front of her, remembering to give her space. They locked eyes for a long time.  
  
Chloe spoke up, her voice small and weak. Tears brimmed her eyes. "Brady, will you… will you hold me?" Tears ran down her cheeks, and she began to shake.  
  
He gently put his arms around her, careful of her cracked ribs, and held her. He rocked her slowly, while she cried. She clutched his back painfully, while she sobbed. 


	56. Chapter Fiftyfive

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
  
  
Chapter 55  
  
"Chloe, Brady, we're going to need to get a quick statement from you so we can close this case." Det. Slone said to the couple.  
  
Chloe sat in Brady's lap with her head on his chest. She was careful not to put any weight on his sore bottom. Likewise, Brady was careful not to hurt her ribs as he held her closely to him. They were waiting tiredly for their paperwork so they could be released. Their friends and family were also gathered there in the waiting room, but they were hanging back to give Chloe space.  
  
Chloe turned to face the detective and inhaled deeply. Brady squeezed her hand for reassurance. "Okay." She answered simply.  
  
"Just tell us what happened; everything you remember from when you were first taken until now, okay?"  
  
Chloe spoke haltingly, recounting the horrible events. She paused when she recalled her first encounter with him in the house, after she first woke from her drugged sleep. The memories were so strong, so vivid. She trembled and whimpered.  
  
Det. Slone spoke soothingly to the girl. "It's okay, Chloe. Dr. Moore is dead. He can't hurt you anymore."  
  
Brady kissed the top of her head. "You're safe, Chloe."  
  
Chloe nodded and continued. "He yelled at me, said I betrayed him and his love. He accused me of lying about what he did to me. He was out of control… insane."  
  
"How did he find you, Chloe?" the detective asked.  
  
"A friend of his had found the website and sent him the pictures. He had his friend track me down."  
  
"That's why his name wasn't on our list of suspects." Bo realized  
  
"What happened next, Chloe?"  
  
"He… got really angry with me. He hit me several times in the face. I was still disoriented from the drugs he had given me that I stumbled to my knees. I couldn't fight him."  
  
Brady's eyes smoldered, recalling the dark, swollen bruises on her face. He reflexively tightened his arms around her.  
  
Chloe hesitated and buried her face in Brady's chest. "I can't…It's too hard." She cried as tears spilled from her eyes.  
  
Marlena moved over to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Chloe, you have nothing to be ashamed of. It wasn't your fault. You could not help what he did to you."  
  
Chloe paused to compose herself. She detached herself mentally from the events of the evening. When she spoke again, her voice was cold and distant. She told them everything; from Dr. Moore's attempted rape and how she fought him off, to her desperate flight through the house, only to discover that the doors and windows were boarded and locked. Her audience listened to her horrific tale silently. They could almost feel her despair and fear. They could almost see her fall and hit her head on a table, almost felt the brutal pain as Moore kicked her savagely in the ribs. They felt her anger as she fought him back viciously. They felt her overwhelming sadness as he points a gun to her and pulls the trigger.  
  
Brady and Chloe both recalled the fight with Moore and the shootings. "And that's all I remember until I woke up here." Chloe finished.  
  
"Brady, how did you know where to find her?" Det. Slone asked.  
  
A wistful smile formed on his face and his eyes grew distant. "I had a little help." He said and then told them the story of his supernatural encounters. He did, however, leave out Isabella's name. He simply told them about the homeless man who told him to come to Chicago, and then of hearing Chloe's cry for help in his mind.  
  
The detective looked at him blankly. "I'm just going to put 'hunch'." She remarked. She turned to Chloe with admiration in her eyes. "You did a good job of fighting him off." Brady agreed, looking down at her proudly.  
  
Chloe remarked bitterly. "Not good enough. He was just playing with me. I only succeeded in tiring myself out." She slumped her shoulders; ashamed of how easily she was beaten by him.  
  
"You fought him off until help arrived. That's no small feat. You've shown amazing courage and strength of character tonight. You survived. That's the important thing."  
  
Chloe silently processed the detective's praise. It would be along time before she would be able to feel good about tonight.  
  
"I have just one question. Chloe, how in the hell did you stop Dr. Moore?" Roman spoke up. Soft murmurs of agreement rang throughout the room. Apparently everyone had asked themselves the same question.  
  
Chloe looked at him blankly.  
  
John explained. "When we entered the dining room, we found the far wall utterly demolished and Moore lay buried in a pile of rubble."  
  
Chloe looked puzzled. "The last thing I remember is Brady being shot. He was so still, I thought he was dead. I held his body and Fath… Dr. Moore pointed a gun at me. He pulled the trigger and everything turned dark. I thought I was dead until I woke up in the hospital room and I saw Craig and Nancy." She smiled at them warmly. "When I realized that I was alive and Brady was too, well… I can't describe it…" she trailed off, unable to voice her extreme happiness at that moment.  
  
Det. Slone looked at her notes. "This case is chock full of mystery. Besides the someone or something that managed to drop a wall on Moore, we also have a psychic homeless man and telepathic lovers. Well, we'll just leave this part out of our report. I don't feel like messing with it. The important thing is Moore is dead, you two are safe, and I get to enjoy my Christmas." She closed her notebook and stood up. She shook both Brady and Chloe's hands. "You should be very proud of yourselves. Take care of each other and have a Merry Christmas, understand?" Det. Slone then turned to leave with her men.  
  
Nancy and Craig came over to the sitting couple. Nancy beamed at her daughter, so happy to have her safe and alive. "I am so proud of you, sweetie. Of both of you. Brady, if you hadn't…. I can't thank you enough." Nancy stumbled over her words.  
  
Brady blushed slightly. "Um… you're welcome." He didn't know how to respond to all of the attention. John and Marlena came over to bail him out. "So, you two ready to leave?"  
  
Chloe and Brady sat beside each other in the back of the plane, apart from the others. She laid her head on his shoulder and they both drifted off to sleep, to the delight of their fellow passengers.  
  
  
  
Brady and Chloe stood on her front porch. They looked at each other awkwardly; there were so many things they both wanted to say. Chloe gazed into his eyes for strength and cleared her throat.  
  
"I'm sorry. For driving you away in the park. I didn't want to, but I…"  
  
"Sssh. It's okay. I understand." He smiled at her warmly, his blue eyes sparkling. His soul mate was alive and safe. That was all that mattered.  
  
"There's something I've been wanting to tell you for awhile." She began. "When you were shot and I thought you were dead, I was so sad because I knew I'd never be able to tell you what I feel inside. I couldn't tell you before, because He had screwed me up so much I didn't even know what love really was. But I know now, and I can say it now."  
  
She looked up into Brady's deep blue eyes and smiled. "I love you Brady. Now and forever. I love you." She repeated as tears formed in her eyes.  
  
Brady gazed in surprised wonder into her swirling blue eyes. He found himself speechless in joy at her words. So he simply lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently, love and happiness flowing through him. He ended the kiss and hugged her to him with great care.  
  
"Brady, it's going to be awhile… take a long time for me to get through this, but I want you to be with me by my side."  
  
He smiled at her wickedly. "There's no place I'd rather be. Thank you for my Christmas gift. Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Christmas." She kissed him playfully. "Now where's MY present?"  
  
"Here." Brady reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white cardboard box. "I didn't have time to wrap it, what with saving your life and everything."  
  
"Oh, Brady. I was just kidding. I didn't expect you to get me anything." She opened the box and exclaimed in wonder. "Oh, it's beautiful!" she breathed, picking up the small silver ring.  
  
"Here, let me put it on for you. It's a Celtic promise ring. It's a symbol of how my feelings for you, my commitment to you. I don't know where we are headed, but I wanted you to know that this isn't some fling for me. I love you, as much as I have ever loved anyone."  
  
Chloe gazed at the ring speechless. It was so delicate and simple, and so very familiar to her. She frowned slightly.  
  
"What is it? Do you not like it?"  
  
"Oh no, I love it. It just, well, for a second it felt like I had seen this ring before. Oh well, it's gone now."  
  
Brady laughed. "I felt the same way when I first saw it. Funny." He leaned down and kissed her again. "Merry Christmas, my love. Now get to bed. You are supposed to be resting."  
  
"Okay. That goes for you too, Brady. Thank you, Brady. For saving me. You were really amazing tonight." She said, awe reflected in her voice.  
  
"Yep, I kicked major butt." He grinned mischievously.  
  
"Yeah, one of your good qualities." She joked back. "Alright, goodnight. I love you."  
  
"I will never get tired of hearing you say that." He kissed her again. "Okay, goodnight." 


	57. Chapter Fiftysix

Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
Chapter 56  
  
Chloe slowly entered the Brady Pub with Craig and Nancy's support. It was Christmas Day and the Bradys were hosting a private Christmas/Welcome home Chloe party. The Pub was full of Bradys, Hortons, Blacks, and now the Wesleys.  
  
Belle greeted her friend enthusiastically. Chloe exclaimed at the decorations in the Pub.  
  
"I know! Not bad for last minute, huh?" Belle beamed, proud of her efforts. "We were going to just bring some food over to your house, but what with everyone taking off to save your butt yesterday and not getting back until early this morning; we kinda forgot to cook. So then Caroline suggested that we have a big dinner here – so here we are! It's just as well, you wouldn't have wanted to eat Mom's cooking anyway." Belle laughed.  
  
She looked at her friend seriously. John and Marlena had warned her that Chloe had severe injuries, but Belle was still shocked at the sight of her. The swelling on her face had gone down, but her face was still covered in dark purple and black bruises. Makeup covered the worst of them, but they were still noticeable. She wore dark, loose fitting clothing, primarily to ease her broken ribs. She was taking medication to help dull the pain, but they were still very tender.  
  
Craig and Nancy had very reluctantly agreed to let Chloe come to the party. She was supposed to be in bed, resting. But they also knew that she needed to get out for a little while and be around others who love and care about her. So, they finally let her come, but only for a few hours and then it's right back to bed.  
  
Chloe glanced around the crowded Pub.  
  
"Looking for Brady? I think he's right over there." Belle pointed.  
  
"Thanks Belle, See you later. Oh, thanks for the gifts. They are really great, very thoughtful. Mr. Teddy came in handy last night." Chloe smiled gratefully at her friend.  
  
"I'm glad. Just remember, he's a loan!"  
  
Chloe found Brady and wrapped her arms around him in a deep hug. "Merry Christmas!" she greeted him warmly.  
  
"Merry Christmas. Oooh look, mistletoe!" he grinned widely as he planted his soft lips on hers.  
  
"mmm. Like you need a reason to kiss me." She teased.  
  
He took her tender, bruised face in his hands and gazed at her. "How are you doing?"  
  
Chloe's eyes grew dark with pain and sadness. "I'm okay. It depends on when you ask me. Sometimes I'm good, others… I haven't had much time to process everything. It's still new. I've been asleep pretty much since last night."  
  
"Any bad dreams?"  
  
"No. That's the thing about having broken ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion, a gunshot wound, and countless cuts and bruises is that I'm too tired to dream. I plan on spending the next week in bed, asleep. Then I can start dealing with… everything. I should be in bed now but Craig and Nancy, I mean Mom and Dad, agreed to let me out so I can at least celebrate Christmas."  
  
"Mom and Dad, huh?"  
  
"Yeah. I've learned a lot about family lately. Family isn't about blood. It's about love. There are people in this room who risked their lives last night to save me, and for no other reason than because they care about me. I've never had that before. All my life, I've searched for a family, and now I have one. It's here in this room, with the people who love me. It's funny, I've wanted to know who my father is for so long, and now it doesn't even matter. I know who my parents are." Chloe smiled wistfully at her parents. "Of course, this isn't to say that my relationship with Nancy is perfect now, or even great. But I'm willing to give it a chance."  
  
"So, do they know of their new status?" Brady asked while he absentmindedly rubbed her back.  
  
"I surprised them with it this morning. It was my Christmas gift to them. Nancy bawled like a baby and even Craig got a little misty-eyed."  
  
"Wow, you did pretty good in the gift giving department, didn't you? First my gift, and then your parents'."  
  
"I know. And the best part was it didn't cost me anything!" Chloe teased.  
  
"Come here, you little cheap skate." Brady wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lightly again and again and again. His kisses were sweet and light, free from the desire that racked his body when he was near her. He understood that Chloe's recent experiences had made her like a skittish foal; she needed to feel safe and secure with him.  
  
"Okay, ye two. Break it up." A thick Irish accent could be heard. They looked up to see the elder Shawn Brady standing beside them, a roguish grin on his face. "Dinner's about t'be served, so sit yeselves down now at the table." He grinned at the young lovers and left.  
  
Brady and Chloe chose seats next to each other. Brady sat on her left, and her parents were on her right. The seat on the other side of Brady was vacant. Brady sat down gingerly, wincing at his sore butt.  
  
"How's your bottom?" Chloe asked, stifling her chuckle.  
  
"Ouch." He answered. He saw Sami coming up to his end of the table. "Speaking of a giant pain in the ass." He muttered under his breath.  
  
Sami stopped when she saw Brady and exhaled loudly. Brady remembered what he had learned last night and swallowed his scathing remark. "Merry Christmas, Sami. Would you care to sit by me?" He asked as nicely as he could stomach.  
  
Sami was puzzled by his greeting. {He must be playing a game with me.} She was about to coldly rip into him, when she noticed Chloe on the other side of him. The news of Chloe's ordeal had actually managed to seep into her self-absorbed-Sami is the center of the Universe-mindset, and she was surprised to find that she was actually concerned about Chloe. So, in light of all that Brady and Chloe had been through, and the fact that it was Christmas, she decided to be …nice, for once.  
  
She sighed in resignation. "Merry Christmas, Brady. Chloe. Will, would you like to sit next to your big uncle Brady?" She smiled down at the beautiful little boy who standing beside her.  
  
"Okay." Sami got Will settled into his seat.  
  
Brady smiled at the young boy who was playing with a yellow dump truck. "Oh wow! What a cool truck! Did you get that for Christmas?" Brady asked him excitedly.  
  
Will nodded solemnly. "Santa brought it to me last night."  
  
Sami looked at Chloe thoughtfully. Chloe simply stared at her plate, feeling a little out of place in the large family gathering. Sami smiled at Will. "Why don't you take uncle Brady outside and show him the cool trick you learned this morning?"  
  
"Okay." Will took Brady's hand and led him outside.  
  
Sami scooted over beside Chloe. "It will get better, you know."  
  
Chloe looked up in surprise at Sami. She then looked back at her plate. "How do YOU know?" Chloe was so tired of everyone telling her that it would be okay when they didn't, couldn't even understand what she was feeling, or going through.  
  
"I know because I've been where you are. Granted, our stories are greatly different, but I do know what it's like to be violated by someone you've put your trust in. I know what it's like to not feel safe in your own body. I also know that you are tough. You are one of the toughest people I know beside myself. You will get through it, because I got through it." Sami said simply.  
  
"How did you deal with it?" Chloe asked softly.  
  
Sami chuckled wryly. "Well, I didn't handle it all that well." Chloe looked at her and Sami shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I went after him with a gun."  
  
Chloe's eyes grew wide with astonishment. "Did you kill him?"  
  
"Nah. Then again, I wasn't exactly aiming to kill."  
  
Chloe looked at Sami for explanation.  
  
Sami simply grinned wickedly. "Let's just say he's not the man he used to be."  
  
Chloe covered her mouth to stop the laughter from spilling out. She chuckled softly. "Oh my. That's good. I wish I had done that."  
  
Sami grew serious. "Listen, you should really talk to someone about this. Mom really is a great person to talk to." She hesitated. Good deeds weren't easy for her. "You can also talk to me, whenever you need to, okay?"  
  
"Thanks, Sami." Chloe was absolutely flustered by Sami's kindness.  
  
At that moment the boys came back to the table. Sami got up to go to her seat. She leaned over and whispered in Chloe's ear. "Think about what I said." She gave Chloe her phone number and went back to her seat.  
  
Brady looked at Sami, clearly puzzled. He leaned down and brushed Chloe's cheeks with his lips. "What was that about?"  
  
"Oh, we were just talking about, things." Chloe smiled warmly at Brady.  
  
Conversation around the large banquet table hushed when the food was brought out from the kitchen. Everyone agreed that the ladies, being Caroline, Hope, Julie, Alice, and Maggie (Marlena was banned from the kitchen.) had really outdone themselves. I could describe all the wonderful food, but then you'd be all hungry, so what's the point.  
  
Shawn Brady (the elder) stood to say the blessing. Everyone around the table joined hands and closed their eyes. Brady squeezed Chloe's hand gently.  
  
"Dear Heavenly Father, we thank ye for the miracle of yer precious son, born on this day. We thank ye also for the miracles ye performed this day in bringing our own precious children back to us safely. We thank ye for the wonderful food and all thy blessings. Amen." And the table chorused, "Amen."  
  
Chloe was moved to tears by the simple prayer. She had never been prayed for before, never had anyone care enough to bother. And now she looked down on the large table full of friends and family who genuinely loved and cared about her and found herself struck by an emotion she'd never felt before. She stood slowly and tried to express the potent feelings of gratitude and joy.  
  
"Thank you all so much. For everything. I can not tell you what this means to me." Chloe stumbled past the sudden lump in her throat as tears spilled from her eyes. She wanted so much to tell them how she felt, how they made her feel. "I've never had this before. Had people care. You don't know how special this is, this family." Chloe cried unable to express herself clearly.  
  
Caroline spoke up quickly. "Oh honey, don't start with that. Pretty soon we'll all be crying. Of course we care, and don't you worry about trying to thank us. You're family." Nancy and Colin both looked up quickly at this remark and glanced at each other, unnoticed by the others at the table. Caroline continued with a small smile. "Now wipe your eyes sweetie, before we all start bawling and we can't eat because we're too busy crying."  
  
Everyone chuckled and Chloe smiled gratefully at the people at the table. Brady kissed her gently on the lips. Chloe was silent as they ate, basking in the laughter and joy flowing through the room. She smiled to herself. {This is my family.}  
  
Brady smiled at her. "You okay?"  
  
Chloe wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah. I'm okay."  
  
After the dinner and everyone sat around the table, too stuffed to even think about moving; Chloe tried one more time to thank everyone for the dinner.  
  
Shawn Sr. spoke up. "Well, if ye are so intent on thanking us, then perhaps ye'd grace us with a song? If ye feel up to it, of course."  
  
Chloe agreed and racked her brain for a suitable song. Inspiration hit her when she glanced at her ring. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Despite the severe limitations imposed by her injuries, her voice rang through the air, with a lilting, Irish accent. Shawn closed his eyes in joyous rapture as he recognized the old Irish ballad.  
  
I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls  
  
with vassals and serfs at my side.  
  
And of all who assembled within those walls  
  
that I was the hope and the pride.  
  
I had riches all too great to count  
  
and a high ancestral name.  
  
But I also dreamt which pleased me most  
  
that you loved me still the same.  
  
That you loved me, loved me still the same.  
  
That you loved me, loved me still the same.  
  
I dreamt that suitors sought my hand  
  
that knights upon bended knees.  
  
And with vows no maiden's heart could withstand  
  
they pledged their faith to me.  
  
And I dreamt that one of that noble host  
  
came forth my hand to claim.  
  
But I also dreamt which charmed me most  
  
that you loved me still the same.  
  
That you loved me, loved me still the same.  
  
That you loved me, loved me still the same.  
  
  
  
Throughout the song, Brady was rocked by a sensation, a feeling of another time and place, with half-remembered visions and emotions. He could almost see her face, this woman he had loved. And she sang to him and the sound had been like angels descending from high. Brady tried to decipher the vague images and emotions, but it was useless. It felt like a dream, that he had had long ago. Brady shook his head to clear his mind. The song had ended and the room was quiet. Peace and bliss were tangibly felt in the room, and all eyes were closed in contentment.  
  
Chloe quietly took her seat. She couldn't describe what the song had made her feel; she only knew that it seemed very familiar to her, like she had lived the song, it had been written for her. She took hold of Brady's hand, loving the way her small hand fit inside his large, strong hand.  
  
Will broke the silence. He turned to Chloe and exclaimed innocently, "You were glowing like the angel on my Christmas tree!" Everyone chuckled at his remark, except for Colin, who furrowed his brow in thought.  
  
A short while later, Chloe was preparing to leave with her parents. She and Brady stood outside, saying their goodbyes. Brady held both her hands in his. He looked at her seriously, deeply wandering through her blue eyes.  
  
"I almost lost you. I've been trying not to think about it, but it keeps coming back. I almost lost you. I don't know what I would have done, if…." He paused and kissed her hands. "Chloe, I don't remember my life before you and I can't imagine my life without you."  
  
Chloe smiled at him warmly. "Here's hoping you never have to." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply. She smiled in her soul.  
  
They were One.  
  
  
  
End of Truth Out Of Darkness  
  
  
  
Teaser!  
  
Meanwhile, on Christmas Day, in another part of the world…  
  
  
  
"Are you sure, sir?" the heavily accented European voice asked over the phone.  
  
"Yes. There is no mistaking that kind of sheer power. It woke me from a sound sleep. It was her. It has to be." He paused in thought, planning his next move.  
  
"She will be eighteen soon, sir." Replied the other voice.  
  
Stefano Dimera sat, digesting this new bit of information. "Rolf, prepare my things. I am leaving for Salem tonight."  
  
As he hung up the phone, he glanced once more at the picture in his hand. He looked at the blue-eyed brunette staring back from the frame and smiled.  
  
  
  
Coming Soon: Banshee Song 


End file.
